Sara Returnschapter 1
by Grissimsgirl
Summary: Grissim and his team are hunting a serial killer at the same time he is trying to work things out in his relationship with Sara. Things take a personal twist with the case.
1. Chapter 1

Episode 1

Episode 1

Gill Grissim sighed in boredom as he sat at his desk once again completing the paperwork for annual appraisals. Because he was deep in concentration, attempting to finish the task at hand, it took several minutes for him to notice the ringing phone on his desk. "Grissim", he said professionally into the receiver, slightly annoyed at the interruption.

"Hey, its me", the slightly throaty voice of Sara Sidle said softly. "Did I catch you at a bad time", she asked, catching the irritation in his voice. Grissim, who was of the opinion that any call from Sara was a welcome interruption immediately, replied "No, not at all. I was working on appraisals. You know how I love paperwork". Sara gave a throaty laugh on the other end of the line. "Oh, your favorite job", she teased. Grissim smiled at hearing her voice again. Sara, the love of his life, had fled his life, her job, and their relationship to go chase away the demons of her childhood. Although he understood her need to do so, he would have rather have been at her side, helping her through the process. She however, felt it was something she needed to do alone. Initially, he had thought the relationship over, falling into a depression, and totally throwing himself into his work. Fortunately, however, their hearts did not seem happy apart. Sarah had called him the first time about two weeks later and had called at frequent intervals since. Although still away, searching for answers to the hardships of her childhood, Sara seemed to be healing. Still unready to face her job as a criminal investigator, Sara had returned to school, desiring to teach the profession rather than practice. Grissim was accepting of that, only he wished she were here in Vegas. It was lonely coming home from work to an empty townhouse. Sarah, still working out other issues of her childhood was not ready to totally resume their relationship either. Therefore, they remained in limbo, neither able to end the relationship, finding the need to maintain contact, but living apart. It hurt so badly he ached inside, but Grissim knew if the relationship would stand any chance of working later, he needed to give her the time she needed know. The hardest part was not knowing if they would ever manage to be together again. Sara seemed better, but everything seemed so uncertain. As long as he had hope that they would be together again someday, he would keep plodding along.

"How are you Sarah", he asked. "Good…better", she replied. He could hear the guilt in her voice. She had left not because she did not love him, but rather because she could not bear for him to see her fall apart. She had never wanted to admit weakness. "School is going great. I will have my Masters soon", she said happily.

Grissim smiled, hoping that meant soon she might return to Vegas. "How soon", he asked, knowing in the accelerated Masters Program she was attending it only took about a year to complete, less if one took a heavier class load. Sara had engrossed herself in academia, feeling the urgent need to get through the program. "A couple of months", she replied. There was a pregnant pause as she hesitated. She knew she had hurt him deeply and would understand if he had moved on to someone else. "I actually have a break from school coming up in a couple of weeks. I was wondering how you would feel about a guest. He heard her swallow nervously, waiting for his answer.

A smile spread across his face. "That would be great Sara", he replied quickly. "Let me know the exact dates", he said, "I have time off coming, I will let Eckley know in the morning", he added. "Gil, if it has been too long, if you", Sara paused, tearful and having difficulty continuing. "Sarah", Grissim began. "No I mean it, I understand if you could not wait, just let me know now. Nine months is a long time. I understand if you decided to call us quits. I even gave you that impression at first, Hell I thought it was what I wanted", she interrupted. "I am just letting you off the hook if you want. You know it might not work", she rambled.

Grissim interrupted her. "Sara, I want you to come. I have missed you so much. I want it to work, and I know you do too", he said softly. He knew well that it might not work. Sara had worked out some of her demons of childhood, but he knew some would possibly always persist. He could only hope. They would never know if they did not try. Sara paused. Grissim found himself wishing she would say anything, the silence filling him with such a sense of dread. He prayed she was not changing her mind already, withdrawing from him again. "Sara", he said softly. He heard a sob on the other end of the line. "I just miss you so", she said tearfully. "And I you", he said smiling. "When can you get here", he asked, solidifying his eagerness to see her once again. "I have a final Friday afternoon a couple of weeks from now. I could catch a flight right after the test is over. . I could be there by evening", she added. "Great! I will see you then. We can go to Demetris", he added eagerly, knowing it was Sara's favorite restaurant. Sara loved the vegetarian lasagna there. I will see you then", she said, her voice stronger. He knew it had taken considerable courage for her to suggest coming back. "Bye", he heard her say softly. He knew she needed her space now and replied "Bye Sara, call me again soon. I can't wait to see you". He added. "OK", she said quietly, and then there was silence. "Sara", he added. "Yea", she replied softly. "I love you", he finished. Her voice cracked, "I love you too". He slowly placed the receiver back on the cradle, his heart aching, longing to hold her in his arms.

Before he could resume working, Katherine stepped inside the office glancing at his latest experiment. Grissim looked up acknowledging her presence. "Hey", Katherine smiled raising her eyebrows at the unrecognizable mess. "That's", Grissim began. Katherine held up a hand, "No don't bother. I don't think I have the stomach for it tonight", she said. Usually his staff found his experiments educational and interesting. Grissim took a better look at the tall leggy blond. She looked pale and tired. "You OK?" he asked concerned. "Yea, just a little under the weather. I had some sort of flu bug yesterday", she replied in explanation. "I am still a little woozy at times", she admitted, diverting her eyes from the offensive mess on his desk. "So what are our assignments", she said. "I see you are working on our appraisals. Does that mean we get our raises on time this year", she teased. Grissim smiled, well aware that his staff had been forced to wait on their raises several times because of his disorganization with his paperwork.

His phone suddenly rang, making them both jump. "Grissim", he said again into the phone, secretly praying it was not Sara changing her mind, running again. Instead, he was greeted with the voice of Detective Brass. Grissim inwardly signed. Brass calling meant a new case. They were already working short staffed and bogged down with paperwork. They had recently lost Warrick, one of their long time staff, that case remaining unsolved. His loss had been a big hit to the team, not only concerning manpower but also moral. Knowing that there was foul play involving the loss of one of their own, but unable to find evidence guiding them to those responsible was a huge blow to the team. "We have an issue", Brass said urgently. "Turn on the news and call me back", he added. "What station", Grissim asked. "Take your pick", Brass replied sarcastically.

Katherine raised her eyebrows as Gill grabbed the remove and turned the volume up on the television. "Gill the nights a-wasting", Katherine said, slightly irritated. Grissim raised one finger, indicating he wanted her to wait and listen. He did not have to search the news stations at all. Rather, the current station on the television, was broadcasting what Brass had called about.

A young blond newswoman spoke nervously into the camera. At this off-hour, she was not used to much of an audience. Someone's big break, Grissim thought quietly to himself as he listened intently to the statement. "Our station has had a tape released by an individual claiming to have kidnapped a woman tonight. We have not yet been unable to confirm if this woman is missing. The station would like to make you aware this broadcast is graphic. You may not want children to listen", she began. The camera cut the broadcaster off, instead focusing on a printed letter, on one side, quickly switching to a printed form of what the broadcaster was now beginning to read. "I have abducted a woman. Her name is Doctor Theresa Taborsky. Silence filled the office, neither Grissim nor Katherine able to speak. They listened as the announcer continued to ready the letter. "She is the first. She needs to pay for what she has done. The others will pay too, but she is the first. It will be a slow death, as that is what she deserves. You will find her body in a week", Grissim flipped to a different channel. The other channels were also at various stages of airing the letter. " Apparently someone wanted to make sure his message was heard", Grissim commented removing his glasses, chewing slightly on the earpiece. "Katherine, grab Nick and Greg. I am going to call Brass back, see if he knows if there is any truth to this story", he directed. "You think it might be a hoax", Katherine replied, heading to the door already. "We do not know anything yet", Grissim replied in a philosophical tone.

Picking up the phone, he quickly dialed Brass's phone. "Jim, tell me what you know", he demanded. "Is this woman missing", he questioned. "Her husband already called the station once he saw the report", Brass replied. "And", Grissim replied impatiently. "And she never came home from work. The day care called saying she did not pick up the children. Her car was at the daycare parking lot", Brass answered. "So she is missing", Grissim replied. "What daycare", he questioned. "Loving Care, 95th and Monroe", Brass answered. Grissim looked up to see his team assembled. He looked at the other case files. Nick, where are you at with the case you are on", he asked. He needed to decide who was at a point he could pull them from their current case. "Still processing tons of evidence. No leads", Nick replied. "But I can pass it off to days", he added hastily. A potential kidnapping was right up his alley. Grissim thought a moment. Eckley would never let him live it down if he allowed Nick to pass off the case to days. However, it was a run of the mill robbery. No one's life was at stake and it appeared Nick had little to go on so far. So far, he had primarily collected data, not having had much of an opportunity to evaluate it yet. However, the older that case got the colder it got. Day shift was hours away yet, and who knew what would happen to prevent them from processing the evidence. Until he found this case was a big one, he would be making a mistake pulling Nick. "Sorry Nicki", he said shaking his head. "You get cracking on that for now. If this ends up being the real deal, I might need you. For now, your current case is your priority", he finished. "But" Nick began to protest thrusting his chest out. You could almost see him begin to pout. "Nick, get to work. Solve the one you are working on so you can be of help on this-if this turns out to be anything", Grissim added. Shrugging his shoulders, knowing it would do little but waste time to argue Nick walked away. "OK, have fun", he said glancing at Greg and Katherine.

"Greg", Grissim asked waiting for an update on Greg's case. "I just have a few more pieces of evidence to sort out and follow up on, then I have this case wrapped", Greg said enthusiastically. "So I", he began. Grissim interrupted him. "No Greg, finish it up. Someone taking over your case, or putting off finishing it could only lead to errors in processing. It sounds like you are almost done. Finish, doing a good job", he emphasized, "and you can join us if this is the real McCoy". Nodding Gregg slid off the edge of the desk where he had perched and sauntered away. "So that leaves you and me", Katherine asked. "Where are you with your case", Grissim asked. "Just finished it up last night", Katherine replied with an eager smile. Either this case was a total scam, the woman having run off somewhere with someone or it was going to be big. She wanted to be involved in the event it was the later. "Ok, then it looks like you and I Kath", Grissim affirmed.

"Katherine", Grissim questioned her quietness. "You ready to go", she asked. "Yea", she replied, returning to the rest of the world, grabbing her kit. "Lets go", she said standing and leading the way out the door, eager to get started.

Gill wished he could share her enthusiasm. Most days he could have, but tonight his only thought was that if this case turned out to be huge, that it might interfere with his plans with Sara. Katherine noticed his quiet mood, glancing sideways; sneaking a peak, trying to determine what was going on in his mind. "Something wrong", she asked.

When the miniature killer had abducted her, his relationship with Sara had become public with his staff. Rather than judge as one might have feared, they were totally supportive, especially when things went south with the relationship and Sara jumped ship. Offers to talk, encouragement to go to her and advice had been abundant. He knew he could trust Katherine. "Sara his coming in a couple of weeks", he said in a worried tone. "Really. That's great Gill", Katherine exclaimed. "What's the problem", she asked. "This case", Grissim replied. Eckley may not allow me the time off", he said. "I don't want to have her come and then not be able to spend time with her. I want this to work Katherine. I want her back", he emphasized. "Eckley owes you time Grissim", Katherine insisted. "The rest of us will work doubles if we have to. You need this time with her Gill", she insisted. "Eckley still holds a grudge over the whole thing. He says our hiding our relationship made him look bad when it came out. I suppose he has a point. We probably should have handled things differently", he shrugged. "If you had handled them differently, you probably would not have been together at all. Sometimes rules are meant to be broken", Katherine insisted. "You two belong together", she continued. "Our team is working short too", Grissim added. "Your team has been trained by a great boss to be self sufficient and efficient. We can manage without you one week, no matter how big the case", Katherine insisted. Grissim smiled. "Besides", she added, "we just may have it solved so quickly it won't be an issue."

They arrived at the day care parking lot a short while later. Brass and his team had already sectioned off a large area of the parking lot surrounding the missing woman's car, a silver Pontiac G6. Grissim raised his eyebrows. Brass's eyes darted to a man on the sidewalk by the day care entrance, "The husband brought the key for us". Grissim nodded. He and Katherine started by an external survey of the area of parking lot surrounding the car. Katherine spotted a video surveillance camera. "Bingo, she said, "That should help us". " Would have if it were working", Brass countered in disgust. "Apparently someone damaged the cameras a few nights ago. Whoever did so, shot out the cameras at a distance with a BB gun. The cameras had not been replaced yet", he added. "Well perhaps we should still pull tapes from the past few weeks and have them reviewed. We might spot something suspicious and might lead us to a clue as to who the abductor is", Grissim suggested. "Already on that". Brass commented. "The film is on its way to the lab now", he added. Grissim nodded. There were cars parked on either side of the G6. Initially the area looked clean, no signs of a struggle, until Grissim squatted on the right of the drivers side, where he noted telltale signs of blood. "Katherine", he said softly, not wanting to alarm the Vic's husband just yet. Katherine worked he way around the car to where Grissim knelt, joining him. "Looks like blood", she said pulling out a Q-tip rubbing it gently on the sidewalk, obtaining a sample. Placing a few drops from her kit on it she nodded. "Blood, human", she said softly. "Not much. She could still be alive", Grissim added. Katherine nodded, glancing at the husband. "Let's check out the rest of the car", she added, taking another sample specifically for DNA testing. They would have to be certain the blood was the reported victim's. Opening the vehicle, they found little else. The car looked clean. No traces of blood and no signs of struggle were present. Katherine methodically dusted for prints and sprayed luminol checking for traces of blood. She lifted dozens of prints, most of which she guessed were probably the victims or the victim's husbands. She spotted several hairs and picked them up with tweezers, bagging them in an empty evidence bag, carefully labeling the bag with the details. They probably belonged to the victim or one of her family, but Katherine, always thorough placed them in evidence bags anyway. She also routinely obtained some sunflower seed shells she found on under the passengers seat, again suspecting that they were nothing that would be helpful in solving the case. After having the day care staff move, their vehicles away from the crime scene the two quickly evaluated the rest of the area surrounding the G6. Grissim noted a pocket calendar that had somehow slid behind the wheel of the car on the left. Handling the calendar carefully with gloved hands Grissim checked the entries for the day. There as a hair appointment penned in for that evening. Mentally noting the name of the salon, he bagged the calendar.

Brass made his way over, noting that they were completing the collection of any evidence. "Anything worthwhile", he asked. "Blood, possible the Vic's, but we will not know for sure until we do DNA testing", Katherine explained.

" Shows possible sign of struggle and that someone was possibly injured", Brass commented. "And we found a calendar. The husband can probably identify it for us", she added. "What do you think? Brass asked. "Could this be staged by the wife"? he continued. " There was only a small amount of blood", Katherine commented. "But if I was staging a kidnapping, I would have made the appearance of a struggle greater", she added. "Lets talk to the husband", she added. "Maybe he can tell us if that calendar was hers", she added as the three made their way over to the Vic's husband.

Mat Taborsky, the victim's husband stood, eyes swollen and red. Two little girls sat at his feet, fiddling unenthusiastically with several toys the day care had apparently brought out for the children. Having noticed their father's anxiety level, the children looked up at Katherine and Grissim wide eyed. Sensing their distress, Grissim glanced at Katherine. "Hey girls", he said softly as he knelt down gently beside them, " my name is Gill and this is Katherine. How about you two go with Katherine and see about getting a snack inside while I talk for a minute to your Dad" The girls looked up at their father questioningly. He nodded to them. It is OK, Jen, and Kelsey; you go with this woman and find a snack. I need to speak to the police for a few minutes OK"; he said softly touching the tops of their heads in reassurance. Picking up quickly on Gill's plan, Katherine smiled down at the girls, guessing their ages to be about three and six. Searching her memory for favorite snacks she smiled. " Hi, My name is Katherine. Are you two getting hungry? I bet they have some graham crackers or animal crackers inside the day care", she said reaching out her hands, taking the girls hands. Jen, the youngest said softly, "they give us animal cookies sometimes. I like to eat the lions. I used to be afraid of them", she whispered. "But Mommy said they were just cookies, that they could not hurt me". She added. Katherine smiled. "Let's go see what we can find", she said leading the two girls into the day care.

Grissim waited until the girls were out of earshot. "Mr. Taborsky, I am Gill Grissim with the crime lab. I want to let you know we are going to do everything to help locate your wife. I am going to need to ask you a few questions." Taborsky nodded, "Anything you need to know. Just find Theresa. I saw that news broad cast. Whoever has her said he was going to kill her. You have to find her." Grissim nodded. "We have to start at the beginning however", he explained. "We have to have information to guide us, OK", he explained. Taborsky nodded again, tears welling up in his eyes.

Grissim lifted the calendar showing it to Taborsky. "Do you recognize this", he asked. "Yea, that looks like her cat calendar. Theresa loves cats, but the girls are both allergic. So she collects these ceramic cats, buys cat calendars and stuffed animals", he explained. "It looks like she had an appointment at Turning Heads this evening. I believe that is a salon", Grissim added. "Yea, once every two weeks, she takes both girls, they all get their hair cut. Theresa has hers styled too. It is sort of a girl's evening out", he added, "The girls love it." Grissim nodded. Brass interrupted, "has your wife mentioned anything strange or out of the ordinary", he asked. Taborsky shook his head. "No, not that I can think of. I keep running the last few days through my head, but can not think of a thing", he said. "Everything has been pretty routine", he added.

"Your wife is a physician", Brass asked. "Yea, specialist in Oncology", Taborsky replied. "Any problem patients. Anyone who filed a malpractice suit or maybe whose case didn't turn out as well as could be expected", Brass asked, already searching for possible leads. "She is an oncologist", Taborsky answered. "It is unfortunately a business where you often loose more patients than you save. Theresa says the hardest part of the job is realizing that you cannot possible save everyone. Sometimes the best you can offer them is a death with minimal pain and maximum dignity", he added shaking his head. "But do you know of any patient or perhaps someone in their family who was less than accepting of that", Brass persisted. "No one that stands out", Taborsky answered. "But you might ask her partners. Theresa tries not to bring work home. To ensure their privacy she does not talk about them and if she does feel the need to discuss them, she never really gives their name, at least not their full name. She might talk about a Jane or Ben for example, but never a last name. Generally like I said she leaves work at work and focuses on the family when she is at home", he answered." Oh, come on", Brass exclaimed, immediately suspicious. "Don't tell me a physician doesn't come home and talk shop", he accused. "Why do I have the feeling that you are not telling something you know"? Taborsky's posture changed as he became defensive. "I am not hiding anything", he added. "Theresa has a great deal of integrity. She considers the privacy of her patients to be of utmost importance," he argued. Brass started to argue again, when Grissim interrupted. "Can we have a minute", he asked Taborsky. "It is your show", Taborsky answered. Grissim pulled Brass aside. "He could be telling the truth. The government has passed many new privacy acts recently. The acts insure patient's medical information be kept private. I understand it is a violation of these acts to discuss the patient with anyone without a need to know. Some physicians hold this very sacred. Others maybe not. Dr. Taborsky could be one of those with integrity. In any event, let's not alienate him", he indicated tilting his head toward Taborsky. Brass nodded. "I still wonder if he is holding out on us. But OK. We will play it your way", he added. Deciding they would get little from Taborsky at this point, Brass and Grissim returned to where Taborsky was standing. "OK, so Dr. Grissim here tells me that physicians have to keep pretty closed lipped. I apologize", he said. Taborsky nodded the red slowly leaving his cheeks. "Will you just get busy finding my wife", he pleaded. Brass nodded handing the man his card. "If you think of anything else that might be helpful, let us know", Taborsky nodded. " Why would anyone want to hurt Theresa", he asked the two men, breaking down. "That is something we hope to find out", Grissim said softly. "What can I do to help get her back? What do I do", he demanded. "I just can not sit here and wait", he exclaimed, his fists clenched. "As hard as it is, you sit and wait. The only thing you can do is wait. As hard as it is, that is the only thing you can do. Please do think and if you think of anything that might be relevant let us know. Other than that, you just need to hang tight and be there for your girls", Grissim suggested. Taborsky nodded quietly with a sigh. "That is just hard, you know. Then you two stand here and ask me about Theresa's patients and when I can't help you I start getting treated like I did something", he replied shaking his head. "We are just doing our job Mr. Taborsky", Grissim replied. "We have to consider all aspects and possibilities, as hard as that may seem to you", he added. Taborsky nodded. I need to get my girls now", he said heading in toward the day care.  
"Wait a minute Mr. Taborsky", Grissim called before the man could step away. Taborsky turned back to face Grissim. "I need however, a DNA sample and your finger prints, if you are willing", Grissim said softly. "Mine. Sure but why?" Taborsky asked. "I need to have your prints and DNA, as well as those of your girls and anyone else who rides in your wife's car so that we can determine if their are any foreign prints in the car", Grissim said. It also served to rule out Taborsky as a suspect but he did not feel the need to include that in his explanation. Taborsky held out his hands, as Grissim obtained prints. After a quick mouth swab for DNA Grissim asked gently, "Please make sure you leave a number where we can reach you if we need more information". Taborsky nodded. Brass pulled out his card. "Please give me a call if you think of anything", he added.

Inside the daycare, Katherine found a staff member. I know you are closed, but could we find something for the girls to eat and a quiet place I can speak to them. I'm with the crime lab", she asked. The woman, a Hispanic in her 40's nodded. "Poor dears, how are you little Jenny? Jenny is in my pod. She is such a sweet girl. Lets get you some soup warmed up and how about a sandwich", she added. Jen nodded. Kelsey looked up at the familiar face and said "Thank you Esmeralda". "Such good manners these two", Esmeralda glowed. "Their mother teaches them so well. Not like some of the other kids here", she claimed. As she busied herself making heating up the soup, Katherine asked. Do you know the girl's mother?" Why of course", Esmeralda said softly. "She is so nice. I am not sure why someone would want to hurt her", she whispered. "I offered to stay here until you were all done outside so if these little darlings needed me I would be here". Katherine nodded. "You speak to their mother often then', she asked. " Yes, every day when she picks up Miss Jenny. She always asks about their day, what they did and what they ate. She is a good Mom. Despite her busy schedule as a doctor she always focused on her family as well", Esmeralda added. "Had she by chance said anything to you about anything or anyone unusual lately. Anyone who might be making her uneasy", Katherine asked. Esmeralda shook her head. "No she did not say anything, but Jenny said something about some man who she thought was staring at her they other day. It gave me the creeps, but she apparently had not said anything to her mother. I do not think Theresa knew anything about it. Katherine nodded. "If you think of anything else can you let us know", Katherine asked, handing Esmeralda her card. "Of course", Esmeralda replied, placing the card behind her identification badge, which hung from a lanyard. The efficient daycare aid sat a cup of soup and a sandwich in front of both girls. Then from an apron she wore around her waist, placed a chocolate chip cookie on a napkin beside each child. "Now those are not to be eaten until the soup and sandwich are", she instructed. Both girls nodded solemnly. "I will leave now and go clean more. When you are done I have been instructed to lock up so please let me know", she asked. "Of course", Katherine replied.

Katherine sat at the child-sized tables beside the two girls. The girls picked at the sandwiches, hungry but the stress taking its toll on their appetites. Katherine hesitated, not knowing where to begin in questioning the girls. She had no idea how much their father had explained to them. Kelsey was actually the one who made Katherine an opening, "Daddy says a mean person took Mommy, but that the policemen will find her. Are you one of them ", she finally said". "Yes I am. However, I need your help. Do you think you girls could help me out", she replied. Jen nodded her head, taking a small bite of sandwich. "How can we help", she asked in a tiny voice.

" You can answer some questions for me. Sometimes when you answer questions for me it helps me find people", Katherine replied. The girls nodded. "Who usually takes you to daycare", Katherine asked. "Daddy usually takes us", Jen answered immediately. "He does not have to go to work as early in the morning", she explained. "What do you do after your Mommy picks you up? Katherine asked, leading into the kids routine. "Sometimes we go to the grocery store, sometimes we go home right away. Today we were going to get our hair cut", Jen added. "How will we get our hair cut today", Kelsey asked concerned. "If Mommy is not here who will take us", she asked Katherine wide eyed. The girls were obviously deeply affected by their mother's unexpected absence. Katherine hesitated, hating to give the girl's false hope, but also hating to risk adding to their anxiety. Jen spared her by turning to her younger sister, obviously the older and wise sister, saying "Silly, Mommy will take us when she gets back." Kelsey nodded in understanding. "Do you go to the same store when you go shopping", Katherine asked, wondering if the store might be where the abductor met Theresa Taborsky. Jen nodded, "Yep Piggy Wiggly down the street", she pointed out the window. Katherine could spot the store from the window. Probably the closest store on the way home she thought to herself. "Does she talk to anyone at the store", Katherine asked. The girls thought a moment. "Just Mrs. Pickens, the lady at the counter where Mommy gets the meat. She is nice. Sometimes she lets us taste samples of the lunch meat", Jean answered. "And the lady at the cookie counter", Kelsey added. "She gives us cookie samples, but I can not think of her name", she said smiling. "Did your Mommy talk to anyone you did not know this past week or maybe even the week before", she asked both girls. The girls thought a minute, and then said "no", in unison. "Anyone you have noticed around your house or the daycare that is different", Katherine asked. "No", Kelsey answered taking a bite of sandwich. "Jen", Katherine questioned. "There was the man at the park yesterday", she answered. "What did the man look like", Katherine asked. "He was really tall and thin", Jen asked. "He kept watching up play", she continued. "It made me feel funny", she added. "If I had someone come work with you could you help him draw a picture of that man", Katherine asked. "Would it help find my Mommy", Jen asked. "It might", Katherine answered. "OK then", Jen answered. Katherine flipped her cell phone open requesting a composite artist.

Little Jenny did a great job working with the composite artist. Katherine, Gill, and the child's father watched while she did. "Do you think the man she is describing had anything to do with my wife's disappearance", Taborsky asked. "We hope", Grissim answered softly. The artist nodded that he was finished. Katherine looks at the picture. Unfortunately, the child apparently had only seen the man from a distance. One got the impression that he was tall. He wore grey slacks, a white shirt with a tie of blue and red stripes. His facial features were difficult to discern from the drawing. ""That is the best I could get from the child", he artist explained". It seems she really did not get a close look at his face", he added. Katherine sighed. "Not much to go on", she commented. "His features are not even clear", she added. "The kid kept saying his face ran together", he answered. I could not even get from him what his nose looked like, you know big, small, sharp, or curved. She just kept saying he did not have a nose. She probably just did not get a good look at it", he continued. "Ok", Katherine replied. She turned to Taborsky. "Does this person look familiar to you", she asked. Taborsky looked at the figure. "No not really. I mean this could be anybody. You cannot see his face. Is this who Jen saw watching them? This could be anyone. How is this going to help us find Theresa", he asked frustration evident in his voice. "We never know what information might be helpful", Grissim explained softly defusing Taborsky's frustration. Figuring she was not going to get anything more out of the girls Katherine wanted to get back to the lab to work on processing the evidence. Greg was done with his case and ready to pitch in. "Tell you what, I need one more thing to help me find your Mommy. I need a little piece of each of your hair and a little swab of your spit. Can we do that", she asked the girls. She looked to their father for permission. He nodded. "Sure", Kelsey said. "OK", Jen answered. Katherine carefully swabbed and marked the swab from children's mouth and obtained a piece of their hair. Lastly, she obtained their fingerprints. "Mommy got our finger prints and put them in these kits so if a stranger gets us or if we get lost they can find us", Jen said. "Did Mommy have a kit like that to help find her", she asked Katherine. "That is sort of what we are working on", Katherine explained. "Will you find Mommy before I have to go to bed", Jen asked softly. "She always reads us to sleep", she continued, her head hanging. "I bet your Daddy will read to you tonight", Katherine said softly. "But might Mommy be home in time", Jen asked. "Well", Katherine began. Grissim entering with the girl's father saved her.

They watched the father and his daughters clean up the food mess and then go to his car in the parking lot. Theresa G6 was in the process of being towed to the lab for even closer evaluation. Esmeralda entered, as Katherine and Gill were getting ready to exit the room. "Have they gone", she asked. Katherine nodded. "Do you folks need to be in here longer", she asked. "No, I does not appear Mrs. Taborsky made into the building this afternoon", Grissim replied. "We are though here", he confirmed. Esmeralda nodded, "well if you excuse me I will lock up", she added. Grissim stopped. "Do you know anything about the video cameras outside getting broken", Grissim asked. "No, we assumed it was kids. They were shot out at a distance, and the staff found some Bbs on the ground. They are scheduled to be fixed tomorrow", she added. "Thanks", Grissim replied. "If you think of anything will you let us know", he asked. "I already told your partner here I would. Anything to help out those little girls", she added. "They will be lost without their Momma. She means the world to them", she added shaking her head.

"I think we should check her out", Katherine said as they walked out of the daycare. "Why", Grissim asked, wondering what vibes Katherine had gotten. "She volunteered to stay tonight, supposedly to be of help to the girls if needed. She acted really close and smitten with the girls. I do not know. Maybe it is nothing", she explained. "Yea, possible. Have Nick check her out at the lab computer", Grissim replied. "For now lets go and collect with letter's that were sent to the various television stations.

Hours later, they had met with and fingerprinted any of the station staff reported to have had contact with the letter. They needed to eliminate any fingerprints that were on the letters that belonged to the staff that had opened the letters. The letters were then taken to the lab for analysis. Then came the difficult task of waiting while the letters were evaluated. Any prints found were collected, labeled, and run through AFIS. Then the paper and ink were analyzed. The only prints on the letter were those of the station staff who had handled the letter when it was received at the station. The ink was a type common to many ink jet printers. The paper was of the type that could be purchased at any store in Vegas. In other words, they gained little useful information from the letters.

As both CSIs suspected, the hair and fibers lifted from Theresa's G6 all were those of her family. Having obtained hair samples for DNA testing from Theresa's hairbrush, it was determined that the blood found outside the G6 was indeed Theresa's blood. The shift was essentially over and they had nothing solid to go on. Grissim ran his hand over his face in frustration. It was not often that they were given so little to go on. Brass was at the hospital speaking with Theresa's medical partners. They could list several cases in which the patient was not doing well or had recently expired because their treatment was not being successful. They could not however, because of potential HIPPA, or privacy action violations give Brass the individual's names or history. Brass was working on a court order. The day shift crew was on their way in, but Grissim and their team continued to work.

The crew took a quick break for lunch. "Mr. Grissim", he heard the secretary call out from the doorway, "you have a call in your office." Grissim left his lunch, tossing it in the trash on his way out. With someone's life in danger and the clock ticking, Grissim had little appetite anyway. The call was from Sara. "Hey", she said softly. "Sarah", he replied surprised to hear from hear so soon again. "Yea it is me", she replied. "I see you have quite the case unfolding there", she replied. "I saw you on the news", she continued. "You really do not have any leads do you", she asked knowingly. "No we do not", Grissim admitted. "How did you know", he asked. "From your expression", she answered. "Just want you to know I am available if you need to talk", she continued. She knew Grissim benefited from talking things out with her. "I may be calling", he admitted. "Sarah, we have nothing concrete here", he admitted, trusting that Sarah would let the information go no further. "This guy is good. He has done a good job covering his tracks so far. About all we know is what post office the letters went through", he said. He heard Nick, who had also finished his case calling from the other room, "Hey Grissim, you need to see this". "Sarah, sorry I better go" Grissim said. "Sure Gill, Good luck", Sarah replied hanging up softly. After he heard the click Grissim ran back to the other room where the CSI team stood watching the TV screen.

"The station has just received this video tape from someone who is claiming to have kidnapped Dr. Theresa Taborsky, a prominent LasVegas oncologist. Again, we do not recommend this video be viewed by children", the announcer cautioned. The camera cut away from the announce to a color video, which caused even Grissim and his team to grimace. A blond woman in her forties was tied to a bed, gagged so she could not speak. What appeared to be a board was tied between her ankles. A hooded figure entered the video screen, carrying what appeared to be a hatchet. "So my captive can not escape, a voice obviously altered by computer said, breathing heavily with excitement. He stood swinging the metal hatchet back and forth several times then suddenly brought the blunt end toward the victim's right ankle. The team grimaced as the woman screamed in agony, despite the gag in her mouth. After a few seconds to allow her screams to die down the hooded figure came to the other side of the bed again swinging the metal hatchet to and fro allowing it to gain momentum. Then with the last swing they once again brought the hatchet down with a second loud crack as the other ankle exploded. Once again, the woman screamed in agony. After a few seconds pause the camera lens focused in on the woman's face, which by that point was pale and rapidly loosing color with the shock of the pain. Tears screamed down the woman's eyes, which peered into the camera as if pleading for help. The camera lens then moved to her ankles, capturing the image of a hand roughly untying the wooden block from between the victim's ankles. The victim moaned again, her sobs audible behind the gag. "Hurts don't it", the voice cackled. "Now you know what he felt", he said deliberately moving the broken limbs. Feel the pain? This is only the beginning bitch", he laughed. The picture suddenly dissolved into grey static.

"Jesus", Nick exclaimed, slightly nauseated, his ham sandwich threatening to come back up. Greg, the least experienced of the group exclaimed "he broke her ankles so she couldn't escape?" Grissim paused then answered, "yes, some slave owners in diamond mines used to do the same to slaves who tried to escape. They were still able to work but unable to bear weight, so were thus unable to escape. It was very effective." "And very painful", Katherine added, recalling when she had broken her tibia as a child. Nick nodded, "they say that bone pain is one of the worst pain you can have. You often go into shock, feeling lightheaded, nauseated and even possibly passing out." Grissim ran his hand over his face, recalling Sarah's painful broken wrist. Although initially too lethargic from dehydration to voice any complaints, once her overall status improved the arm fracture was the most painful part of her recovery. Thinking of her injuries brought back the painful emotions of not knowing where the Miniature Killer had her hidden and the agony of not knowing if they would find her in time or loose her forever. He felt for Mr. Taborsky and the children. "Let's get back to work", was all he managed to say.

Grissim's cell phone rang. "Grissim", he answered, suspecting it was Brass. He was correct. "Did you see channel 3", Brass asked. "Yea", Grissim replied. "We need that tape", he added. "It is on its way over", Brass responded. "The tape was delivered to the front of the station in a box marked for the attention of the station manager. Of course, there are no security cameras in front of the building where it was left. We are asking around, trying to see if anyone noticed it being left. Of course, no one saw anyone. It was discovered at shift change. An individual who arrived to for an interview scheduled a couple of hours earlier did not see it there at the time he arrived. We got his prints just in case, but I do not think he is a suspect." Grissim nodded, "Thanks Jim, keep us posted".

The tape arrived by courier shortly. The team would have loved to get the video tape to audio visual immediately, but unfortunately these things had to be conducted one step at a time. So no evidence would be missed it had to go to trace first to see if any prints were present. There were several, which were immediately run through AFIS. Three sets that were present lacked a match. Two of these three sets however, did match individuals who were studio employees who claimed to have handled the tape before they were aware it was evidence in the kidnapping. The third did not match anyone in the studio who admitted to handling the tape. The fourth set of prints however did reveal a match in AFIS. "Gregory Simons", Nick said reading the suspects record. "Convicted of armed robbery 5 years ago and currently out on parole", he continued. "Lets get Jim to see if he can located Mr. Simons", Grissim replied.

The box itself however contained only the unmatched set of prints and those of the studio employees who had found and opened the box originally. "Why would the prints be on the tape but not on the box", Greg asked. Grissim thought quietly. "Maybe he slipped up", he answered. The box itself went off to be analyzed further, examining the ink used to address the box as well as searching for where the box may have come from. Meanwhile, Nick too the tape over to Archie to be reviewed to see if anything might be gleamed from the tape to assist with detecting the victims whereabouts.

Initially Nick, Archie, and Grissim watched with video in its entirety. "Looks like a basement", Nick suggested as he spotted cement wall behind the bed the victim was tied too.

"Yea possibly", Grissim replied. "That would offer less chance of detection", he added. Nick only nodded. "Close in on the wall behind the victim", Grissim requested politely. Archie tweaked knobs and buttons slowly bringing the wall up closer. "Looks like older cement", he said, "Look at how the wall is flaking", he pointed at the screen. "If he has her in Vegas that helps us eliminate the newer areas of town", Nick said hopefully. He remembered being held captive and his team searching franticly for him once. It was a simple clue that lead to his discovery as well as that of Sara when she had been missing. He hoped a simple clue would be found to lead them to this individual as well. "Yea, if she is in Vegas", Grissim answered. "Makes sense", Nick argued. "I mean there has not been that much time since she was abducted. Unless it was a town close-by", he continued. "Lets keep looking", Grissim replied thoughtfully. Piece by piece they reviewed the video, Grissim even having Archie focus in on a reflection in the victim's eye and once on that of the suspect in hopes that something might be picked up in that reflection that would help identify the exact location. It was a long shot but the team did not have much else to go on yet. Other than a few old wooden beams, which further gave the impression of a basement in an older home they found little of use on the tape itself initially. On the fifth time through the horrific video however, Grissim called to Archie to freeze the tape again. Zoom in on his left hand, Grissim directed. "You see something", Archie asked as he began to zoom in. "Maybe", Grissim replied again chewing on the end of his glasses. "Oh yea baby", Archie said excitedly as he detected what Grissim had seen. Zooming in again several times he had what had originally looked like a possible fleck on otherwise perfectly clear videotape and was actually a tattoo on the suspect's left hand. "It is a symbol of some sort", Grissim said leaning into the screen. "Archie, print this and lets see if we can search what it might mean and what tattoo parlor might have done it. Looks like we have a concrete lead." Nick smiled grabbing the picture off the printer. "On it boss", he said excitedly. As he left the room Grissim quietly asked Archie to print an additional copy. "You doing some searching on your own Grissim", Archie asked. "Maybe", Grissim smiled. He and Nick would use very different searching techniques. Between the two of them, one of them might find an answer. Next Archie evaluated the audio. "I think it is a mans voice", he said, digitally altered", he added. Grissim and Nick only nodded. The figure had appeared masculine in form as well on the tape. "There is little else I can tell you however, unless I had a suspect to match it to", he added. Grissim flipped his phone open, selecting Bass from his speed dial. "Jim", he replied as Brass answered. "Ask Mr. Taborsky if he knows anyone with an older basement, especially with older beams. Also ask him if he knows anyone with a tattoo on his left hand", he requested. Brass agreed to call him and check. At present, he was following up with Theresa Taborsky's partners, who desired to be of help, but because of HIPPA guidelines were restricted in what they could share without a warrant. Brass was currently meeting with a judge to get one issued. Grissim also requested Brass get a search warrant for Gregory Simon's residence.

Brass quickly not only got the warrant, but also had a chance to check with Mr. Taborsky regarding anyone he knew with an older basement or a tattoo. Although a long shot, every lead needed to be followed. Taborsky indicated that Dr. Popendick, one of Theresa's partners had an older home, although he had never been in the basement. Brass sent two officers with Katherine to check out the doctor's home. They did not have a warrant and probably could not get one if the doctor did not want to cooperate, but were praying for his quick cooperation. Grissim and Nick headed over to the Taborsky's office to meet Brass with the subpoena for medical records and information on Taborsky's patients. If charts needed reviewed for possible suspects it was going to take some time and manpower. Grissim sighed, wishing their team was not so short. Warrick was sorely missed. The new staff member, hired to replace Sara was still green, but they would bring her in as well to help. Still, being short both Warrick and Sarah made them constantly understaffed.

Katherine and the two officers arrived at home of Dr. Robert Popendick, one of Theresa's partners. It was his scheduled day off, so he was at home with his wife. "Doctor Popendick?", Katherine questioned pulling out her badge. "I am Katherine Willows with the crime lab", she continued. "Oh come right in", Popendick replied stepping aside to allow Katherine and the officer's entrance to his home. "It is my day off today and although I probably should have gone in to help out with Theresa's load I let them cancel those patient's appointments. I find it very upsetting and frankly am afraid I would not have been able to concentrate on her patient's needs anyway. So here I am", he replied with guilt. Although guilty of allowing the office to reschedule appointments, he hardly acted guilty of anything else, Katherine thought to herself. However, she needed to check out this lead. "Dr. Popendick, may we see your basement", Katherine requested. "Why of course", he replied. "Why", he questioned leading them to the basement doors. "We just need to see it", Katherine replied not wanting to loose his cooperation. Popendick stopped for a moment. "I saw the video in television. It looked like an old an unfinished basement", he said quietly. "My basement if unfinished. Did one of my partners mention that", he asked stopping in front of the basement door. Realizing that lying was of little use, Katherine nodded. "We have to check out all leads sir", she replied, reassured that the two officers were there with her. "Good", Popendick replied opening the door, motioning her to enter. "That means you are doing your job and leaving not stone unturned trying to find my partner", he said following her and the officers down the narrow steps.

The basement was old. It did have several beams that appeared older as well. However, the arrangement of the beams did not match that in the video. The ones in the video were painted black. These were bare wood. Katherine took pictures with the Doctors permission anyway, just for the record. "Your partners are being questioned at present", she began. "Do you have any idea of a patient that might not have had the outcome they hoped for prior to treatment", he asked. "Well, no name off hand, but if I looked at her files I know we would find lots of patients that would fit that description. We are Oncologists not Obstetricians. Our patients come to us with cancer hoping for a cure. Often we can do little for our patients other than relieve their pain and give them a death with a little dignity. Some expect more than that, even if given an honest prognosis at the onset. Other patients, we initially hope for a better prognosis, but the drugs and radiation do not work the way we hoped and we loose them. The long and the short of it is that not everyone we care for gets the outcome we or they want", he replied. "We have a search warrant to do just that", Katherine indicated. Popendick nodded. "I hope you find her in time. We are a close-knit practice. Theresa is not only a valued coworker, I consider her a friend", he added. Thanking Popendick Katherine left, pictures of the basement on her camera for comparison to the basement on the videotape.

Archie had barely had a break when Katherine entered his work area. "Hey what you have", he asked. Some digital videos of a Dr. Popendick's residence, his basement in particular", Katherine replied. "He is the only of Taborsky's partners who has an older home", she explained. "So he is a suspect", Archie nodded. Katherine nodded back and shrugged. "I do not really think he is a suspect", she said. "From what I saw of the basement it isn't the same, but I just want you to confirm that", she added. Archie downloaded the pictures comparing the two areas. "Sorry Katherine, I know you would like me to tell you that you were wrong and this man had your victim in this basement but it is not the same basement", he said confirming what Katherine already knew. She nodded. "Where is everybody else", she asked pulling out her cell phone in case he did not know. "Grissim and Nick were searching a lead on a tattoo they found on the suspects hand", he answered quickly pulling up the video for Katherine so she could see. "Interesting", she replied, leaning in to take a closer look, "And Greg, where is he". "I think he went to the victim's office with Brass. He got a search warrant to be able to look at her patient's files", he responded. Katherine nodded. "Thanks Archie", she said.

On the way out, she ran into Grissim. "Hey I am going on over to the office with Greg. Brass got the warrant. We can start looking over patient files", she explained. "Yea I know. I am on my way over there too", Grissim exclaimed. "Thought you were searching information on that tattoo", Katherine asked. "I did find out something", Grissim replied. I found it is a Chinese symbol for Cancer", he exclaimed. "Nick and Misty are going to do some footwork and see if any parlors recognize the tattoo", he added. Misty was the new member of their team. Eager to learn and a hard worker she had become a great asset. She still was not Warrick or Sarah however, but she held promise. "You must think we have a better chance researching her files", Katherine asked as they rapidly made their way down the hall. "Yea I do", Grissim answered. "Chinese symbols are frequent sources of tattoo's", he explained. "I think that there are going to be lots of parlors who have that particular tattoo graphic on file, although a file search of body site might narrow it down a bit", he added. "But that is going to take a lot of searching", Katherine replied. "Exactly", Grissim frowned. "It is divide and conquer. A week seems like a long time, but it will be over before we know it. And who knows if he will even give us a week." Katherine nodded. "He Grissim? Isn't that sexist", she asked. "Maybe, maybe not. Per audio analysis, Archie thinks it is a male. Based on the audio Archie thinks the suspect is male", he answered. "Well so we know we have a male with a tattoo on his left hand", Katherine replied. "Don't medical files include an assessment that documents variations in skin", she asked. "Yea", Grissim replied, having had experience looking at medical histories before. The two walked in silence to Grissim's truck, driving the Theresa Taborsky's office.

Grissim's cell phone rang just as they had managed to get through several patient files. Unfortunately, they had not gotten anywhere. "Grissim", he answered. "Got the warrant for Simon's", Brass informed him. "Good, Katherine and I will be over. What is the address", Grissim replied. "We need to go speak with Mr. Simon, the man whose prints showed up on the video tape", he directed, Katherine jump up, grateful for a break looking at patient files.

The two made their way to Simon's residence. Brass met them. "He isn't home but neighbors say he usually gets home in the next ten minutes. I want to see his reaction before we start searching", he directed. Katherine and Grissim, although anxious to begin, understood Brass's philosophy. Finally, a half hour later, a car pulled into the drive. Simmons got out and entered unlocking the door. Katherine and Gill walked up to the door with Brass. Brass knocked on the door. After just a minute, Simon answered the door. "Can I help you", he asked. "Yea, I'm Detective Jim Brass, this is Gill Grissim and Katherine Willows from the crime lab. We need to talk Mr. Simons", Brass said with his usual authority. "Hey officers, I've been clean, been an honest citizen the past couple of years. I did my time so why are the cops harassing me now", he asked gruffly. "Well we found your print on a tape of a kidnapping victim. Perhaps we can come in and you can explain to us how your print got there", Brass answered. "Am I under arrest, cause if not no way", Simmons replied attempting to shut the door. "Have it your way Mr. Simons. We can do this down town. You are under arrest", Brass said pissed off and suspicious at the man's cooperation. Simon's house was in an older area of Vegas and well could be where Theresa Taborsky was being held. He had no idea of a motive yet, but he had a feeling they had their man. The motive would come later. Simons sighed turning around cooperatively so Brass could cuff him. "Take him to the station, put him in a holding cell and keep him there until I get back and can interrogate him", Brass directed two officers. "Yes sir", the replied in unison, leading the suspect to the squad car. Brass entered the house cautiously, his gun up and sweeping. You never knew if Simons had an accomplice or not. Rapidly he cleared the rooms, calling to Gill and Katherine. They entered, slowly examining the scene. It appeared to be a normal home, well kept, clean, and maintained. The slowly swept each room, Grissim finding stairs, which appeared to lead to a basement. Brass took the lead, heading down the stairs. Gill and Katherine remained behind, each with their hand on their weapon. "All clear", Brass said. "Any sign of our victim", Katherine asked. "No, this isn't the basement", Brass replied. He still felt certain that Simons was tied into this somehow.

Finding nothing at the house, Brass, Gill, and Katherine met back at the station. Brasses lead the interrogation and Grissim sat silently. Katherine watched from outside. "So what do you know about Theresa Taborsky", Brass asked, getting right to the point. "Is that what I am here for", Simons asked. "Well lets just say we found a definite tie to her disappearance", Brass accused. "Well maybe you tell me what that tie is and I can explain", Simons replied pausing. He was not going to give them anything easily. "Where is she", Brass asked. "I have no idea. I have nothing against that woman. I robbed a bank man. I did my time and learned my lesson. I was young and dumb. I am a different man now, but anytime something goes on like this, I get harassed. Like I said tell me what tie to her you are talking about, other than her being my oncologist, and maybe I can explain", Simons grumbled. Grissim perked up immediately. "Theresa Taborsky is your doctor", he asked. "Yea. I have cancer. If you did your homework, you would see I am on a leave of absence from work undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer. It is in remission. I have nothing against Theresa Taborsky. I owe her my life", he emphasized. "So how did your prints get on the video tape recently turned into the television station", Brass asked, still not convinced. Katherine, upon hearing Simons stating he had cancer, left the interrogation area and went into the office. Picking up the phone, she called Taborsky's office requesting to speak with one of his partners. Her partner pulled Simon's file, quickly confirming not only his cancer diagnosis, but also the fact that he was in remission and very hopeful for a recover. Katherine made her way back to the interrogation room. Katherine returned as Simon was explaining how his prints possibly got on the videotape. "I work at Dickerson electronics. We sell those kinds of tapes all the time. I stock them man. It would be easy for my prints to get on them", he explained. "Usually things in stores have packaging around them, you will have to do better than that", Brass accused. "You know if you are going to have this kind of attitude I think I will wait to say anything more to my attorney", Simmons replied, preparing to stand up. "You are not going anywhere, sit down", Brass replied slamming his fist into the table. Grissim, not wanting the man to lawyer up, said softly, "You have to give us an explanation that makes sense, Mr. Simons". Work with us here", he asked, wanting only to find the victim before she suffered more. Simons paused, looking into Grissim's eyes. He saw kindness there. He saw someone wanting to listen to him. He sighed. "Its simple really. You all just piss me off sometimes. No one thinks a convict can turn his life around. We buy larger packages of tapes like that one. We break them open and stock so you can individually buy each tape. We make more of a profit on each tape that way. Actually, it is illegal, I think at least. The packages say that the tapes are not for individual sale, but we do it anyway. It increases our profits, but also allows the customer to only purchase one videotape, not have to buy ten or twenty. They save a few dollars in the long run too. You can talk to my boss about it. He will confirm it for you", he said. Brass still suspicious and being the tough guy replied, "Yea we will do just that Simons and if you are lying we will know that too", he said getting up ready to end the interrogation. Grissim said softly, "Do you track the customers that purchase tapes like this", Grissim asked. "No. Like I said we probably are not supposed to sell them that way", Simmons replied. "Do you remember anyone with a tattoo on is left hand that looks like this buying a video tape like this"? Grissim asked. Simmons looked at the tattoo of the man on the video. He shook his head. "No, not me, but there are many people working there, you might ask around at the store", he added. He looked at Grissim, "I hope you find her. I owe her my life", he admitted, his hardened attitude completely gone. Katherine entered pulling Grissim and Brass aside. "His story checks out, he has cancer and it is in remission. What would his motive be", she asked. Brass shrugged, "Who knows", he asked, still liking Simons for the crime. "I'll go talk to his boss at the store". Brass responded. "Mr. Simmons you will stay here with us until we check this out", he directed. Simons shrugged. He was used to being accused.

Grissim and Katherine had brought boxes of files of Taborsky's patients with them. Her partners had offered to be available at any hour to answer questions about anything in the files. Hours later, Grissim, Greg, and Katherine continue to pour over patient records, with one partner or another filling them in on the various patient cases, helping narrow down those with unexpected outcomes, or those who were not accepting of their initial prognosis. The problem was the list seemed endless. Both suffered gritty burning eyes and their vision was starting to blur. Grissim looked up as Eckley entered. "Gill", he said, causing the three to look up. "You two look like crap", he said, his tone carrying it's typical condescending tone. "We still have work to do", Grissim answered, returning to the file he was working on. "Look Gill, Katherine", Eckley answered his tone loosing it's condescending tone. "You two have been at work for over thirty-six hours. Time to let the next team take over and get some sleep. You know that. You cannot do quality work when you are this exhausted. Besides, if something goes down it puts you at risk. For all the crap I give you I would hate to loose your talent and skill", he explained honestly. "I already sent Nick and Misty home", he said. "Time for you three to go get some rest", he stressed. "We still have a woman missing", Grissim responded, recalling all to vividly the grueling hours when Sarah was missing. He did not give up then, could not have. This woman, although not someone he knew intimately, still deserved the same dedication and devotion, as long as she was still possibly alive. Sarah had not been missing this long however and they had been moving. His vision blurred again. He sighed and looked at the rest of his team. They were red eyed, pale, and their hair standing on end. He signed again in resignation. Eckley for once was right. It was time for another group of CSIs to take over for a while and let them get some rest. They would accomplish little this way. "OK", he said recognizing Eckley's logic. They would accomplish more fresh, and a fresh group of investigators would perhaps see something they might miss. "Grissim", both Katherine and Greg started in protest. "Look, Eckley is right. We are going nowhere here, possibly because we are exhausted and missing something", he said. "But", Katherine started to protest. "Katherine, what if we miss something because we are exhausted? Can you live with that? We are human. We need to acknowledge that. If we go home and get some rest maybe we can think clearly and do this woman more good than if we continue to push ourselves this way", he said softly. Rubbing their blurry eyes the other two saw reason. "Yea, lets get a couple of hours at least", Greg said yawning. "At least six to eight", Eckley directed. The three got up just as the next shift of CSIs came in, ready to search files in their absence. "This is a grid we have been working on", Grissim directed. "There are diagnoses, initial prognosis, outcome and in this column here family members, next of kin", he directed. "Any why are we doing this", a young CSI on the alternate shift asked. Grissim had encountered this CSI's attitude before and was thankful he did not have to deal with him on his team. He glanced at Eckley. "Just complete the grid", Eckley directed sternly.

Katherine awoke six hours later, rolling over and stretching. Still exhausted she dozed hitting the snooze a couple of times. Then as she became more awake, she recalled that they were on a case, a case with a live victim. She needed to get up and moving. Before trudging into the shower, she walked into Lindsey's room. The teenager slept soundly. Over the years, Lindsey had become accustomed to her Mother's crazy hours, but Katherine still felt guilt not being there at all the past two days to discuss her school day and issues with her. It was early, but she entered the room arousing the teen slightly. "Linds", she asked touching the child's hair, smoothing it off her forehead tenderly. "Mom", she replied sleepily. "Yea. Sorry I was not around yesterday. Anything new", Katherine asked. "Didn't Grandma tell you", Lindsay asked sleepily. Katherine's mother filled in a surrogate mother when Katherine's job required her absence, but had been asleep as well by the time Katherine got home. "No she was sleeping", she responded. "Derek asked me to prom"; Lindsay answered a smile spreading across her face. She had had a crush on Derek for months now. "Really", Katherine replied excitedly happy for the girl. "That is great honey. We will have to go shopping for a special dress", she continued. "OK", Lindsay replied. "Night Mom", she added rolling back over to sleep, most likely dreaming of prom. Katherine sighed and headed to the shower. She was happy for Lindsay but in some ways dreaded shopping for a dress. It would be a huge fight over how much cleavage Lindsay would be allowed to show. She remembered her exploits as a teen and smiled. She did not want Lindsay making the mistakes she had, especially the experimentation with drugs. Maybe she needed a different job, she thought. Trouble was, she just could not think of anything she would enjoy doing.

Nick Stokes awoke in a similar manner to Katherine. He stretched wincing when he tried to open his eyes, which were still gritty with sleep. God he was still tired.

Greg Saunders awoke to his alarm with a start. As typical for Greg however, he was immediately awake, jumping out of bed into the shower. Only when he was there and hot water spilling over him did it occur to him that he should have turned on the coffee pot first. He debated for a moment, deciding he really needed the caffeine. Without even shutting the water off, he slipped out of the shower, grabbed his towel, and went to the kitchen to turn on the pot. Should get an automatic one, he thought with annoyance, Returning to the shower, he finished soaping and rinsing quickly, wrapping the towel around his waist. Dressing quickly, he grabbed his travel mug and headed out the door.

Grissim had fallen into bed exhausted, but after only a few hours sleep, he awakened and could not return to sleep. His mind, as usual ever moving, had been unable to shut back down. Instead of fight it, he got up, slipped on a robe, and clicked on the computer. After quickly checking his e-mail, which included one from Sarah indicating her flight time, he began an Internet search of the tattoo symbol on the suspects arm. Despite another search, all he could find is that the symbol stood for the Zodiac sign cancer. "Does it have anything to do with Theresa being an Oncologist", he pondered. "Or perhaps the suspects astrological sign", he mutter. They just had so little to go on. He startled as he heard the phone ring. "Grissim", he answered. "Gill, I knew you would be awake", Sara said sleepily. "How did you know", he asked. She laughed. "You never sleep well when you have a big case like this. Especially when you are struggling for leads", she added. "I thought maybe you would like to talk", she said. God, what a woman, he thought. He had wanted to talk, but felt crazy awakening her. He vented his frustrations for over thirty minutes. "Feel better", she asked. "I'd feel better if we had this creep", Grissim admitted. "But yea, it helped. Thanks Sara. You do not know how much I miss you", he added. "I miss you too. Why do you think I called", she asked. Grissim realized Sara had managed to relax him and he felt sleepy. Making love with her would have relaxed him further, but this was better than nothing he guessed. "Gill", she said softly. "Yea", he replied with a yawn. "Get some more sleep", she ordered softly. "I love you", she added. "I love you", had obviously come easier for her than it ever had, which he thought was a good sign. Grinning he replied. "I love you too. See you in a little over a week. I am counting the days", he added. "Me too", it was Sara's turn to yawn. He heard the silence at the end of the receiver, placing the phone back on the hook sadly. Realizing he was still exhausted, he turned back in for a few hours more rest. When he awoke him mind was clearer. Smiling he remembered his late night conversation with Sara. Things were definitely looking up. Despite the stress of the present case, Gill Grissim felt as if he were floating on clouds. Soon Sara would be back in his life.

Misty Thomas awoke, exhausted as well. She had no idea how grueling this job could be. She smiled however. No matter how grueling it was she loved it. It was exciting and she believed she was making a difference. Besides, her direct supervisor Gill Grissom was so handsome. She had come on to him a couple of times but so far, he had not noticed, Misty was blond, leggy with a large buxom and huge blue eyes. She was accustomed to turning people heads, even those like Grissim who were a number of years older than her. She did not know what gave, he just did not seem to notice or respond to her come on. Greg on the other hand was always hitting on her. She guessed he was a possibility, but frankly there was something about Gill Grissim's maturity and brains that got under her skin and she could not get him out of her mind. Maybe he is gay, she thought, pondering why he did not even seem to notice her come ons. Fantasizing about Gill Grissim, Misty hopped into the shower, getting ready to start a new day as a CSI. As she showered, she thought about new, less subtle ways to come on to him. Maybe I will just ask him to dinner, or just show up at his place, she thought giggling.

Sarah Sidle was just beginning her day as well. She had class early and still had one page of a paper to type. She sat at the desk of her small studio apartment, flipping on CNN. She watched as they played another video sent by the person who had abducted Theresa Taborsky. "Jesus", she muttered as she watched the torture of the victim. The woman, whose lips were cracked with dehydration pleaded with her abductor as he taunted her with drops of water. Sarah watched as muscle spasms and cramps worked through the woman's dehydrated body. "Please", she heard Theresa plead. As the spasms worked through her body, the broken bones in her hobbled ankles grated causing the woman to wince with pain. Then the video was cut short.

Grissim and his team met at the CSI offices at the beginning of their shift. Theresa Taborsky had been missing for around 72 hours. Her abductor had said he would keep her alive for a week. Did that mean five days as in a working week or seven, Grissim pondered, feeling the ticking of the clock either way? Brass was there. "Did you see the news", he asked. The decision had been made to continue showing the videos sent by the suspect with the plea for anyone who recognized the basement to call with information. Calls had flooded the phones, but so far, all the leads had been of no use. "We have checked out numerous basements", Brass said. "Nothing", he responded to Gills' questioning eyes. "Still as long as he is getting attention, which is what he desires, he will be more likely to keep her alive", Grissim replied. "And the more videos he leaves at different stations, the more likely he will be to get caught", Brass added. "Unfortunately he is smart", he said. "He leaves them where there are no video cameras. We have staked out different studios now so it is only time. At least if he leaves any more tapes", he added. The previous shift had already viewed the video finding nothing. Trusting no one other than his own team, Grissim, Greg, and Katherine reviewed the tape as well. No visualizing anything they missed he asked, "Any prints this time?" Archie shook his head. "Nope the tape was clean, as was the box it came in." "Well we better get cracking", Grissim responded. "Archie", he began. "I know, I will review the tape again", Archie answered, knowing how Grissim liked to check, and double check.

Nick and Misty returned to their canvas of tattoo parlors. They finally hit pay dirt, discovering two individuals who had the tattoo seen on the suspect's hand in the video placed on their hand as well. One was female, however, they wrote her name and address down as well. Maybe Archie's determination of the suspect as male was wrong, they thought. They continued their search, turning the names to Brass to investigate.

Grissim, Katherine, and Greg continued the search of files. They had a list of several suspects, all of whom had family members who had been documented as unaccepting of their diagnosis. Brass was investigating these individuals as well. The work was slow tedious and so far unrewarding. Theresa Taborsky remained missing and time was passing way too quickly. Once again, they found they had been searching for data, expanding Gills grid for hours. So far, nothing concrete had been gleamed from their efforts. The next shift arrived to the weary threesome. This time the three did not argue. With only six hours sleep in three days they were exhausted and well aware they once again needed to rejuvenate their bodies. Grissim felt a migraine beginning and knew if he did not get sleep soon, it would escalate and he would be of little use. Rather than being able to focus and concentrate, he would suffer from light sensitivity, sensitivity to sound, and suffer blinding pain in his head. He reached in his pocket, removing a pill bottle containing his Imatrex. He opened the bottle pulling out one tablet, swigging a bit of remaining water from the bottle in front of him and swallowed the pill. Katherine watched him frowning. "You want some breakfast", she asked. "No", Grissim replied. He would eat breakfast, but figured he would just grab some fast food on the way home. If he waited in a restaurant, his headache would just worsen and progress to the point of nausea. He needed rest more than a healthy breakfast. "I'm in", Greg replied, knowing he would rest better on a full stomach.

When Grissim arrived home, his answering machine was blinking. Despite his headache, he hit the play button. "Hey Gill, it is me", Sara's voice came across the tape. Despite his headache, he smiled. "If you are up to it give me a call. If not I understand. I am betting you are putting in hellacious hours. I do not miss those", she added. "Love you, bye", the message finished. Grissim picked up the phone hitting the speed dial number. Lying back on the couch he waited while the phone rang. "Hey", Sara said answering, her caller ID notifying her it was Grissim before she even answered. "Hey", he said back. Sara could hear the pain behind his words. She responded with only one word, "Migraine". "Yea", he admitted. Sara was one of the few who could notice his migraines. Usually he did a decent job of hiding them, at least until they got too severe. "You up to talking", she asked. "Always to you", he answered. "How is the case going", she asked, already pretty much knowing the answer. "I feel like we are running in circles", Grissim said recapping what they had on the case. Only one set of prints match anyone in AFIS, the rest belonged to the television studio employees. "What about the one that was a hit in AFIS", Sara asked. "He is a patient of Taborsky's but he doesn't fit. He has cancer, but according to his records it is in remission", Grissim replied. "What about his prints? How did they get on the tape", Sara asked. "He claims he stocks that brand of tape at the electronics store he works at", Grissim answered. "Did his story check out?" Sara asked. "Brass is going to check it out, talk to his boss", Grissim replied. "But I think it will", he answered. "The guy has been clean since he got out on parole. We know he has a tattoo on his left hand, a Chinese symbol meaning cancer. We have found a couple of parlors that have that particular symbol as options. They gave us the names of the individuals on their files with the tattoos. Both were dead ends. We know it is an old basement, which means on older area of the city but that has not been much help so far", he vented his frustrations. "What about physician records. From what I have seen, this person has a grudge against her. I am sure the team is looking into those", she asked. "Yea, the problem is there are a lot of files and other than a vague grudge we really do not know what his issue is", he replied. "Like a needle in a haystack", Sara replied. "Yea, generally that is the picture. So far nothing is really clicking into place, and Theresa Taborsky's clock is running out", Grissim responded. "Sorry Gill", she said softly. "Something will click, the pieces will fit soon", she encouraged. "I just hope it is before the victim runs out of time. I would like to recover a live victim", Grissim said grimly. This head throbbed, a wave of nausea racing over him. He swallowed and closed his eyes against the light, which was gradually causing him increasing pain. "Everything still going good with classes", he asked. What he was really asking was if there was going to be any hitch in her coming to Vegas. "Going great. I have a heavy class load but then I am not working right now so I have nothing but time. I am keeping up. So far all A's", she laughed. "I would be surprised at anything less than perfection from you Sara", he teased. "I will see you soon. Get some rest", she instructed. "OK", Grissim replied. There was silence on the other end of the line. Wincing in pain, Grissim collapsed on the couch, his hand over his forehead, riding out the headache.

The team aroused again for the next shift, this case ever present in their minds. Because the case still involved what was believed to be a live victim, it took precedence over all other cases. The team suspected they would have another video to review. However, the suspect seemed to have gotten more cautious. Although each of them flipped on CNN as they awakened to their morning coffee, they saw nothing but the old videos.

Arriving at the studio, they found nothing more had been turned up. Frustrated Grissim hit his fist on the desk. As usual after a migraine, he was exhausted. Unfortunately, today was not a good day to be at anything less than full throttle. "Her time is running out, I feel it", he said in frustration. "Grissim, we still have awhile. We will find her", Nick replied hopefully. Grissim shook his head. "Not unless we find her soon. He is not patient. I sense that", he replied. "What do you mean", Katherine asked. "Taking a week to torture your victim is pretty patient", she responded". Yea", Grissim answered frowning, "but I have not seen patience from him. His videos were sent close together. He moved quickly to torture his victim. I feel he will loose patience and not make it a week. He will slip and finish her sooner. I could be wrong but I just feel it." The team expressed a collective frown. Grissim usually could finger this sort of person to a tee. If he was right, time was running out and quickly. The office phone rang. "Grissim", Gill answered, the tension in his voice palpable. His headache, although better was still lingering in the background. "Gill", Brass responded on the other end. "Yea Brass", Grissim responded, making eye contact with his team. He did not like to tone in Brass's voice.

"We need you guys over here at Kellogg's warehouse on Madison avenue. Grissim was aware of the location. He had been to investigate a break in a couple of weeks before. The factory, which had once produced cereal, had closed that location and moved it's production of cereals to another factory as part of a downsizing operation Until they sold the building the factory was setting empty. Thus, it had been a frequent site for break-ins and other issues. "You have a body", Grissim asked closing his eyes. "Yea, and it fits Theresa Taborsky's description. We need you hear to process the scene. Then we will remove the body and get it to Doctor Robbins and have the family or one of her partners identify the body", Brass answered. "It looks like her", Grissim asked. "Hard to tell for sure. The features are similar, but Gill whoever killed this woman somehow disfigured the face. Any features are hard to describe. She has a birthmark where on her left thigh, just as her husband described in my interview of him after the abduction. She fits the size and age too. I'm betting it is her", he said.

Grissim faced his team knowing they too would feel the sense of failure as well as the new sense of commitment to locating the individual who had taken her life. "They found Theresa", Misty asked softly, already able to read her boss's face. "Yea, they think so. Lets go process the scene and do it right. He had too have left some clue, some piece of the puzzle when he dumped the body", Grissim replied. The team headed off to the scene.

The team arrived at the Kellogg's factory some thirty minutes later. They found it surrounded by various law enforcement vehicles with their bright flashing lights. Also among them were several reporters, cameras in tow. One reporter who knew Grissim by reputation called out, "Dr. Grissim, do you have a body? Is it Theresa Taborsky? If so why didn't the killer keep her a week like they said"? Grissim ignored the reporter, his silence more effective than any "no comment" would have been. When Grissim remained tight lipped the reporters turned to Nick, Katherine, and Greg. "Do you think the body is Theresa Taborsky's? Does her husband know", the called. The rest of the team followed Grissim's lead and remained silent, making their way behind the yellow crime scene tape. "Nick and Greg, you two take the outside. You know the drill. Watch for tire tracks, footprints, anything that might indicate how anyone dumped a body in here. He glanced at Misty. She was still green and the place was swarming. Although investigating the periphery would have been good experience for her, especially in the dark, he was concerned about her reaction to the crowd gathering and the reporters. Therefore, he decided to take her inside with Katherine and himself.

Brass met them as the entered the factory. "Coroner just got here", he said eyeing Misty. Newbies had to earn Brass's trust. He was uncertain how Misty stacked up yet. Besides, he was fond of Sarah and he could not help but notice how she was always coming onto Grissim. He wanted nothing more than happiness for them both. He feared the girl's moves would eventually catch Grissim's eye. He pulled Grissim aside. "She ready for this". He questioned. Grissim shrugged. "I hope so. Frankly, I would rather have her here with Kat and me than outside with reporters watching and listening. I think with her inexperience it is a better learning experience here with us." Brass nodded, thinking Grissim might be right. "The body is in here", he said leading the trio into a packaging room just off the main entrance. "Who found it", Grissim asked. "An couple of kids breaking and entering. I guess it has become sort of a local hangout here, you know for necking and whatnot. Someone even has brought in a mattress", Brass replied gruffly. "Bet that was a mood breaker", Grissim replied turning on his flashlight as they walked toward the room the body had been found in.

Theresa Taborsky, if that was who it was, was barely recognizable. Grissim's flashlight began at her badly disfigured face. There were many obvious facial fractures but that alone was not the main disfiguring issue. The flesh of the face had been eaten away in multiple areas. Only traces of a nose or ears remained. Eyes glazed back at him from partially exposed sockets. Grissim heard Misty gag. Katherine quickly pulled her away from the scene, talking quietly with her until her breathing slowed and the worst of the nausea passed. While the two women huddled away from the scene, Grissim continued his initial inspection of the corpse. There appeared to be multiple areas of bruising along the woman's neck. Her arms, like her face had multiple areas where the flesh was open and raw appearing. Some areas appeared blistered. Grissim knelt down next to Dave, putting on a glove, gently touching her hand. Several fingers were crooked and appeared to be broken. He watched Dave obtain a liver temperature. "How long has she been gone", he questioned. "Liver temp is 80 degrees. That puts TOD at about 6 hours ago give or take", he replied. "What would you guess for cause of death", Grissim asked reflectively, well aware that until the victim hit the autopsy table all guesses were subject to change. "Could have been any of multiple causes", Dave replied. These raw areas look like burns, probably chemical. The total burned areas themselves would not necessarily cause loss of enough fluids to kill her immediately, but any bit of infection in any of these certainly could have. It could be strangulation, he said referring to her bruised neck. For the looks of it, there were repeated episodes of attempted strangulation, possible with the killer stopping just as the victim lost consciousness. He could have gone too far before he intended to. It is even possible that a fat embolism resulting from all these broken bones could be the COD. Loops of bowel are extruding from the abdomen. This one will need to go on the table to be sure", he paused. Grissim continued to do his own exam of the body, making his way to the woman's ankles. The bones bent and twisted at odd ankles, a result of the Hobbling procedure her abductor had subjected her to. Katherine and Misty made their way back over. "Sorry Sir", Misty said, her face reddened with embarrassment. "You only need to be sorry if you contaminate the crime scene", Grissim replied offering her a smile of understanding. Most new CSI's suffer a few bouts of nausea at the first site of a body, especially one this badly mutilated. Some managed to hit it better than others, but everyone he knew, including himself, had reacted negatively the first few times. He smiled briefly, recalling how tough Sarah always tried to act.

Katherine proceeded to take pictures of the body before it was disturbed for further evaluation. Misty found the click and the whine of the camera somewhat soothing. Once Katherine was done, Grissim and Dave turned the body over. Her blouse slid up, reveling several identical burn marks. "Branded", Katherine said softly. "Yea but what does the symbol mean", Grissim questioned as Katherine snapped additional photographs. Doc Robbins would take more pictures in the morgue, but thoroughness often made the difference between a conviction and not obtaining a conviction. "Isn't there a registry for brands", Misty asked. "Yea, I think that will be your job when we get back to the lab", Grissim answered. Misty nodded, excited at the prospect of being handed such an important task. Katherine knelt on one side of the body, obtaining what looked like residue, possible skin cells, under the victim's fingernails. Misty followed suit, collecting from the opposite hand. A yellow substance was noted on the edge of the victim's blouse. Grissim took a swab of it for further evaluation in the lab. Once any obvious trace was removed from the body, the team assisted Dave in properly bagging the body, so that Doc Robbins could find any further trace evidence during autopsy. "You ready for me to take her", he asked respectfully. "Yea. Someone will need to do a definitative ID", Grissim added. Just then, he heard Brass entering. "Is it her", they heard another voice call. "Sir, I know you are upset. I sympathize with you. As I said this would be better done downtown, but you burst in through here. Now please stay with me. You do not want to jepordize the crime scene. If it is Theresa, you want us to be able to collect all the evidence we need to put him away for a long time", Brass reasoned as he carefully escorted the victim's husband into the room. Grissim, Katherine and Misty stood aside allowing Brass and Mr. Taborsky a view of the body. "Her face is not in the best shape Mr. Taborsky", Brass said in preparation. Taborsky had caught wind of a body being found on the news and rushed to the warehouse demanding to know if it was his wife. He had been raising such a ruckus; drawing additional media attention that Brass had taken him into the building to appease him. He had tried to explain the distraught man that the condition of the body might require dental records to properly identify it. Despite his discouragement, the husband had insisted on viewing the body, to see if he could tell if it was Theresa. He glanced at her face despite Brass's previous comments that it was unrecognizable. "I would not know from her face, maybe it isn't", he stammered. The he looked to the twisted fingers, noting her wedding ring. His wife's wedding set had been custom designed and was one of a kind. He would recognize it anywhere. His face crumpled and he leaped toward the body. Brass caught him at the last minute, preventing him from entering the crime scene. "It's her, it's my wife. Oh God Theresa", he cried. Katherine stood and assisted Brass in leading the man away, offering condolences. Misty said softly, "Hell of a way to see your spouse", "Yea, I'm sure Brass tried to reason with him. He was gaining more media attention, something we need to limit right now. Otherwise, Brass would have insisted he wait. We will still need dental records to confirm it is her", Grissim replied.

Dave finished bagging the body as the rest of the forensics team worked the scene. Multiple blood samples were collected, most if not all of which were probably the victims. Katherine found a piece of cloth, a small piece of which had a strange odor to it. It might mean nothing and it could mean everything, she thought as she bagged it. They could identify what the odor on the cloth was caused by and possible where the cloth was from, both of which could lead them to their suspect. The only other item they found was a key. The many teenagers who had frequented the factory of late could have left it there. It could also be an important piece to the puzzle. It too was bagged and tagged.

Outside Nick and Greg worked as reporters and spectators watched. Nick snapped several photos of some tire tracks he found. While Greg mixed a substance to mold samples of the tracks Nick quietly shot multiple photos of the crowd. No one knew that they were being photographed as possible evidence. "Think he might be out there watching", Greg asked under his breath. "You never know. I have know of perps that do", Nick replied. "They get off on watching all this", he said indicating the police surrounding the area and the media. In addition to the tire tracks, they collected several cigarette butts, which could have been the perps, or anyone who had been hanging around the factory for the last few days for that matter. Greg located a few obviously fresh footprints by one of the side doors of the factory. Nick gave the door a push. I think we found how he got in. "And probably how the teens Brass mentioned to us have been getting in" Greg added, bagging and tagging several used condoms he found by the door. "This is evidence of something", he said. Nick nodded, exchanging a small smile. Although at times it seemed inappropriate to smile or crack a joke when you knew a dead body lay inside the building, it was one way the team managed to relieve the stress. They might have cracked a joke or two, but it was foremost in their mind that they had failed. They had not found Theresa Taborsky before she was forever gone from this earth. Worst of all the killer had promised others. They possibly had a serial killer on their hands. The lighter moment swiftly passing, Greg expertly casted the footprints. It could provide a wealth of information about the killer, especially if an expensive designer shoe made it. It was a deep print, probably made by someone carrying additional weight, such as a dead body, thus possible was the killers. At the very least, it would give them his shoe size. In a case like this, with so little to go on any information was helpful.

The team finished up, having collected anything they could find. Some evidence they hoped was helpful, but they knew that much of it would not be helpful at all. Returning to the lab, they only had a few hours of their shift to work with and evaluate what they had collected. Eckley had made it clear that they had been running on empty for several days. They had a body now, not a missing person, so in his eyes the urgency was gone. Grissim understood his stand. Eckely was responsible for how his employees functioned. If they made mistakes because they were tired, it made the department and Eckley look bad. Working excessively, long hours would not bring Theresa Taborsky back. Besides there were other CSIs on the next shift who could help work the case. The problem was Grissim trusted the members of his team the most.

The group made their way out of the factory. Many of the reporters and spectators had left but a good number remained as well. Again, the cameras were flashing in the team's faces. Greg flinched away from the bright flashes several times. You would think he would be accustomed to it, but he still found the cameras unnerving. "Was the body Taborsky? Any ideas who killed her", they asked wanting to trick the team into confirming for the media that the body was Taborsky's. "What kind of sick person did this", one reporter asked. "Why didn't he wait? Why kill her when he said one week", the reporter persisted. "Do we have a serial killer? Do doctors need to be afraid? Is your team smarter than this killer? It seems you have no leads. If your team were competent wouldn't you have found her before she was dead", one taunted.

Taborsky's husband was waiting outside the factory surrounded by reporters, all of whom had their cameras thrust into his face like vultures. They were asking him questions including what the body looked like. "Are you angry they did not find her before she was already dead? one reporter asked him. Taborsky rigidity defended the CSI team. Obvious to Grissim was the fact that the man was in over his head with the reporters. Although initially a welcome venting board, Taborsky was probably fatigued and overwhelmed. Grissim worked his way through to Taborsky. "My Taborsky', he said compassionately. " Let me take you away from all this. The girls need you he urged." Working away from the crowd Taborsky asked, "Why, why didn't he wait? Maybe given a few more days you could have caught him. Why", he demanded. His fists clenched tightly, he looked into Grissim's eyes. Grissim remained silent, having no appropriate answer for the man. Rather than respond he offered his condolences. Brass informed Mr. Taborsky that they would keep him informed and encouraged him to return home to his children.

The detective and Grissim made their way beyond the yellow crime scene tapes and toward their respective vehicles. A small crowd remained gathered. "I'd like to know the why too", Brass, asked. "Why made such a big production of planning to torture someone for a week, then off her sooner. Seems to me it would take some of the fun out of it. I mean this person was really seeming to get his jollies out of torturing her, why end the fun so soon", He questioned. Grissim shook his head. "Patience, or lack of", he answered. "Either he couldn't wait or screwed up, getting too aggressive and extreme in the torture that she died accidentally. Maybe that will be his down fall", Grissim continued. Grissim paused reflecting on a doctor he knew, someone very special in his life, a brief shudder traveling down his spine. He could not imagine someone doing this to Rebecca. It brought back memories of Sarah's abduction. It appeared that there was some tie to cancer; therefore, it was assumed oncologists were targets. Rebecca practiced obstetrics and gynecology. All the same, he had called to caution her immediately. Although she had listened and assured him she would be careful, he worried regardless. In obstetrics, she was frequently being called out in the middle of the night for deliveries. "Gill, anything wrong?" Brass asked noticing his silence. "No, just that we have some psycho out there killing doctors. He promised there would be more Jim. What if he keeps his promise? What could this woman have possibly done to be tortured and then killed like that Jim? She helped people. With a few rare exceptions, physicians are not crazy sociopaths who deliberately harm people. Yet this individual, this nut, decided to torture her, take her away from her two little girls", Grissim replied passionately His fatigue was evident in his unusual display of emotions. In general, Grissim kept emotions in check, not letting emotions affect his judgment and ability to keep himself separate from the case. At times however, Grissim let cases become personal. He expressed more avid insistence at solving the case, bringing the perpetrator to justice. Usually one could pin point the reason behind his reactions, such as the victim being a child for example. Brass, uncertain to the origins of Grissim's reaction in this case, suspected the display of emotion was partially based on fatigue. His team of CSIs had been working long hours to find this perp, only to find a corpse instead. Touching Grissim's shoulder, he only replied, "get some rest Grissim." "All I can say is I will work night and day until we find him and put him away for a long time", Grissim replied in frustration. Without further commend Grissim opened his car door and drove off.

Back in the shadows of the scene, hidden from view the leaves of a large tree, stood a tall man. The shadows hid his face, but if it had not, one would still have been hard pressed to give a description of him. His nose was almost non-existent; a mere stub with a hole from which he breathed remained. One entire side of his face caved in, the bones no longer present. On the opposite side, one ear was missing, scar tissue and a hole being the only remains. Because the crowd had dispersed except for a few die hards, who were gradually growing bored with the entire process, he had heard Brass and Grissim's discussion. "If you only knew why I was angry, why she needed punished", he whispered, his hands clenched in fury. "If only you knew", he said. Grissim's determination frightened him. What if this man, so bent on finding him, figured out who he was? Was it possible his plans could be foiled? Would they discover his identity before he was done punishing them all? His heart beat rapidly at the thought. He clenched and unclenched his fists. At that moment, he decided he needed to keep an eye on this Grissim. Because the excitement was over, the body having been taken away, the crime scene investigators having left, the scene being secured by only a couple non descript law enforcement officers, the group of on lookers were beginning to break up. Because he feared calling attention to himself the man decided to slip quietly away himself. Heading off into the dark street in a park at the edge of the factory, he was essentially undetectable by the officers remaining on the scene. He would do so research on this Grissim who he so feared.

At home, the No Faced man flipped on his laptop. He proceeded to do a google search typing in "Grissim and Las Vegas". He immediately received multiple hits. Opening a few articles, he scanned them quickly. What he read did not reduce his fear of the CSI in the least. Article after article demonstrated how Grissim and his team had uncovered the truth behind various forms of criminal activity. He logged onto the site for law enforcement. Timothy himself had minimal computer skills, but on the other hand, Danny had learned how to hack into the most protected of computer sites, and to do so without leaving any obvious trail or sign that he had been there. In only a few minutes, he had Grissim's work history, credentials, and qualifications. The information did little to relieve his anxiety. Clicking on his personal information he located his address. He jotted down the address on a post-it-note on the desk and carefully backtracked out of the government site to avoid unwanted detection. "Damn", he exclaimed slamming his fist onto the desk. "I will follow you Dr. Grissim. I will find out how you work. You do not know me. You do not know how I work, why I am doing this. You will not be a threat to me because I will find your weak spot. I will use it against you. You better not interfere with my work and if you do, you will pay and pay dearly. Exhausted from the day he closed his eyes. Tomorrow, he thought, tomorrow I will watch him. Pay back was exhausting, but he had made Dr. Taborsky pay. By the end, she had begged for mercy, begged for him to finish her. And he had finished her, slowly and painfully, slowly pulling her intestines until she writhed in pain! It was incredible but so exhausting. Now he would rest. Tonight he would sleep, dealing with Grissim tomorrow. Without bothering to change clothes, he stumbled into bed. Closing his eyes, sleep overtook him.

To Be Continued

Episode 2

No face man awakened early, fresh and invigorated. He quickly showered and changed into clean clothes. He dressed conservatively, desiring to draw no unnecessary attention to himself. He would have to watch Grissim from a distance; unfortunately, his disfigured face drew attention to easily. He was good at observing from a distance however. He had much practice. He drove his Taurus, parking a half block from Grissim's house. There he waited, sipping coffee quietly and patiently. "I will show you patience Mr. Grissim. I will patiently find your weak point, so that you cannot interfere with my plans. I much make them pay. You will pay too, I just have to decide how", he whispered.

Grissim arose, showered, shaved, and poured a cup of coffee. He had about 30 minutes before he had to be at work and decided to unwind by thumbing through the most recent Entomology magazine that he had received in the mail. Glancing at his watch, he realized it was time to leave. Grabbing his keys, he walked to his SUV and started the clock.

Arriving at the office, his team was ready to continue evaluating the evidence collected. Doc Robbin's was first on Grissim's to do list. "I was hoping not to have to do an autopsy on this case", Doc Robbin's said sadly." From her photograph, she was a beautiful woman. It is hard to tell in her present condition. I understand she has two little girls too. Not to mention it hurts to loose a colleague", he said. "Do you have a cause of death", Grissim asked. "That is a tough one. This poor woman's body sustained a wide range of insults, many of which could have been the cause of death. She was tortured in many different ways. This was a brutal death", he replied. Grissim looked at the bruised battered body which featured a face so mutilated and disfigured that it was unrecognizable even by her own husband. "It appears that acid was slowly and repetitively dropped on her face, arms, and torso, resulting in multiple burned areas. The was salt residue as well", he added. "Salt residue", Grissim. "Yea, corny as it sounds, he appeared he ground salt into the fresh burns after he used the acid to create them", Robbins answered. "Nothing like rubbing salt in the wound", Grissim gave a dry reply. "Yea", Robbins replied. "The missing ear appears to be the result of essentially deliberate removal with a sharp object. Same with her nose. Then it appears acid was used to further remove tissue. All this would have caused significant discomfort", he continued. Pointing toward her feet he added. "Of course you witnessed the Hobbling". Grissim only nodded quietly. "So would any of these be the COD?' Grissim asked. "Well the wounds, if they became infected of course could have, but although there was some minor localized inflammation, there did not appear to be any systemic infection. He also deprived her of fluids, dehydration was extensive. At this level, the victim would have had severe muscle cramping, which with the extensive ankle fractures would have been very painful possibly leading to shock. However, this victim was a tough cookie. None of these possibilities are obviously the COD. However look at this", he said sweeping away the sheet with which he had covered the corpse. No wonder he covered her body Grissim thought silently, grimacing. The victim's intestines were exposed. Protruding from a neat surgical incision loops of intestine hung. The bulk of the intestine was wrapped around a large stick. "Doc?" he questioned. "It is just what it looks like. He made a small incision into her abdomen, once he found her intestinal tract he managed to pull out several loops, wrapping them around the wood. He then proceeded to slowly turn the stick, pulling more and more loops of bowel out of the peritoneum", he continued. "Jesus. Was she alive then, during this?' Grissim replied. "Yea, probably for hours. There were multiple different levels of necrosis of the intestine. There was severe pain involved Gill", Robbins answered. "Finally an area of bowel tore, he got too vigorous probably, and she bled out", he continued. Grissim blanched, not wanting to hear or see anymore, "Anything else Doc? Otherwise I am outta here." "Only one more thing, he sexually assaulted her repeatedly and brutally. I sent the semen sample to DNA", Robbins replied.

Grissim returned to the lab area, informing the others of the autopsy results. "My  
God", Katherine replied. "This one is a real sick-o", Greg replied. "Yea I would say he holds some definite grudge", Nick replied. Misty remained quiet but pale. What have you all found? "We are waiting for the trace report on the yellow substance on the Vic's blouse", Katherine replied. "This case takes priority", Grissim replied, "I will talk to trace". The shoe print is a size 11 man's. Its tread is that of a Siena Bioni, a man's shoe. Expensive but not expensive enough. Unfortunately there were over ten thousand sold in the United States, well you get the picture", Greg continued. "I am going to get working on that brand he burned into her, see if I can get something on it", Misty replied. "Good, if you need help be sure to ask", Grissim replied. "We are still working on the DNA analysis of the cigarette butts found at the scene", Nick replied. "Well lets get working", Grissim replied.

The team met sometime later toward the end of what was another long shift. "Well what have we got?", Grissim asked. "Well, the yellow substance on the Vic's blouse is Avelo, a common industrial strength cleaner. I did some checking. It is used in over ten different cleaning companies. It is also sold in at least three warehouses in the Vegas area, all of which offer memberships, which means that anyone who is a member can purchase the cleaner. It would be a large container for individual family use, but the managers say they sell it a lot to people who like to buy in bulk", Katherine replied. "So it could have been bought by any number of individuals or something someone used at work if they work for one of the ten cleaning companies", Grissim replied with a sigh. "Yea, I did obtain a list of employees from the ten companies. A couple of the company's track purchased items by computer. They gave us a list of members who purchase Avelo cleaner in bulk", Katherine added, pulling out a 30-page list of names, complete with address and phone numbers. Grissim sighed, puffing his lips. "Somebody give me something", Grissim exclaimed. "Sorry, some DNA on the butts we found", Nick replied. "In fact four different donors, none of whom were a hit on AFIS", he added. "Misty", Grissim questioned directing his gaze toward the newest member of the team. "Well I could not find the brand anywhere in the registry. Therefore, it is not a registered branding iron. However I did do some research on the symbol. It is a combination of several Asian letters, which mean cancer", she said. "It had to have been made somewhere, so I have been looking a different metal shops in the area, so far no luck, but I am far from through", she added. Grissim experienced his first glimmer of hope. "Good job Misty. Nick, tomorrow you help Misty track down some of the rest of the metal shops on the list. If it was made in the Vegas area, it could very well lead us to our suspect. Katherine and Greg, you two cross reference anyone who purchased Avelo cleaner who perhaps lives on a ranch, owns a metal shop, anything that might tie the brand with the cleaner. I know it is weak, but we have little else to go on. I will help wherever needed", he added. "What about now", Misty asked. "Now we go home and rest. We hope that he gives us a little time before he takes someone else", Grissim replied. "But Gris", Greg replied shaking his head. Grissim interrupted him, "Greg we will get no where if we are exhausted. We need a break, even if only a brief one. We will work more efficiently, and therefore accomplish more in the long run", he replied interrupting Greg's protest. Grissim knew he was becoming extremely wrapped up in this case, and knew if he did not give everyone a little space, emotions would become too raw, and less would be accomplished. As hard as it was to walk away this evening without a solution to the puzzle, he knew it was for the best. Everyone nodded, knowing that not only was it of little use to argue with Grissim, but that generally he was right.

The team left in their respective vehicles. Katherine went home, spending some; much needed time with her daughter. Nick who had taken a distinct liking to Misty asked her to join him for a drink. Despite her infatuation with Grissim, she accepted. So far, Grissim had shunned any advances she had made. Shunned was not really the word for his actions. In honesty, she had to admit that he seemed unaware of her advances. Going out with Nick might help her gain some insight into Grissim. Maybe she could decipher what she needed to do to get Grissim to notice her, not as an employee but as a woman. Greg, although driven and wanting to find the key to the puzzle before them, decided to take advantage of Grissim's forced night off. He called a blond he had met last week in a bar. He nervously dialed her cell phone from the card she had given him. Praying it was an actual number he nearly jumped when she answered. "Tiffany?", he asked. "Yes, Greg", she asked recognizing his voice. "Yea sorry it too so long to call", he began nervously. "Work has been crazy and this is the first chance I have had. Want, want to go for a drink", he stammered. "That would be great", she replied to his surprise. Finalizing his plans, he broke out in song, opening the car door.

Gill Grissim made his way home in silence, pondering what they might be missing that would lead them to the killer. A crime scene was like a puzzle. Usually the pieces were there, and finding how one fit usually lead to finding yet another. It was often just a matter of the right piece falling into place.

Grissim arrived home, fatigued and tired. He had also brought the files home with him. Pouring a glass of wine, he opened the file, slowly pouring over the information in the files, looking for any connection between the people who purchased the cleaner and their occupation. A migraine was brewing. Grissim shut the file, closing his eyes. He finally opened them and stood taking his wine glass with him. Unfortunately, the wine would make his migraine worse if he finished it. Instead, he found his migraine medication opened the vial labeled Imitrex , pouring a glass of water taking two of the tablets. He switched the overhead lights off. The phone rang just as he lay back down on the couch. Grimacing he sat up slowly reaching for the phone. "Grissim", he answered. "Hey Gill", a female voice replied. "You don't sound so good", it continued. "Migraine", he replied. Rebecca was one of the only people he openly admitted this infirmity to. "Sorry", the voice said sympathetically. "I won't keep you so you can rest and get rid of it. Have you taken your medication", she asked. "Yes mother", Grissim answered a faint hint of amusement in his voice. "I just wanted you to know the kids have a recital scheduled next Friday. They want to invite you. It is a seven o'clock. I saw you on television again, so I know you are busy with that case so I explained to them that you might be too busy. But if you can get away I know they would love to see you", she said softly. "OK, I will really try Rebecca", Grissim answered, hoping they had this case under wraps by Wednesday. At first, he had been involved in little Danny and Katrina's life out of a sense of obligation. Now he find he enjoyed and relished his time with them. "Good", she replied. Although he really felt the need to rest, he was thankful that Rebecca had called. "I was wanting to talk to you Rebecca. I want you to be careful. Did you watch the news story tonight", he asked. "Yea, I didn't catch it all, I was getting the kids ready for bed", she admitted. "Well there may be a possibility that the victim was targeted because she was a physician", Grissim replied. "Why target a doctor". Rebecca asked. "That is the million dollar question. All we know is that per his own admission he holds a grudge and there appears to be some possible tie to the fact that she is an oncologist", Grissim replied. "Well I am an Obstetrician, you know, I deliver babies so I think I am in the clear", she teased. "Rebecca", Grissim replied, the strain from his headache evident in his voice. "Sorry Gill, I should not tease. I know she was a Doc from Vegas Medical where I work so you are probably even more worried. I will be careful I promise", she replied. "I had better go and let you rest", she added quickly trying to avoid a lecture. "Did you ever get the security system I suggested", Grissim asked before she could escape. "Yes I did", she replied. "And you use it", Grissim asked. He had lived with Rebecca long enough to know she feared nothing. "Yep", she replied. "OK", Grissim replied with a sigh. He worried about Rebecca and the kids alone in the house. The home was secluded and it was often a cause of concern for him.

"Gill, I love you, get some rest OK. If you need anything let me know I will come over", she said concerned. "Thanks Rebecca", he replied wincing as he hung up the phone. Grissim got nothing else done on the case that night.

Chapter 2

The team arrived the next day, prepared to be hard at work. Grissim directed Misty and Greg to hit the road, visiting various metal workshops to see if they could find one that created or made the branding iron. If they did and kept records, it could be their big break. Katherine and Nick worked on a grid, cross-referencing club members who purchases Avelo brand cleaner with profession. Grissim continued working on Theresa Taborsky's patient files, which were now stacked on his desk. What they needed was more manpower. The pervious shift had worked on the files some, but Grissim reviewed them as well, afraid someone had missed something. Some considered that egotistical, but Grissim trusted no one other than those on his team. After several hours, Grissim stopped pouring over the charts and stretched his shoulders. He glanced at the clock. It was after 1:00. He had not heard anyone break for lunch. Grissim's phone rang. "Grissim", he answered. It was Brass. "Gill, how is it going there? I have not had much luck here with Taborsky's partners. I have a few leads, but they are weak. A few disgruntled families of patients who did not make it, but the partners feel they would have been more likely to settle the issue in court not murder. I am looking into them all regardless. I also found a few actual patients, but frankly again they leads are weak. We are checking them all out", he added. Anything there on your end? he asked. "Well I have been pouring over files all day and have not come across anything that stands out. Same as you at that end to be honest Jim. A few unexpected outcomes I think we should look into further, but that is about it. I am not sure where the others are. I was just going to call them to meet for lunch and regroup", Grissim added. "Great, listen give me the names of the patients you find at all suspicious and I will see they get looked into, I will ask her partners as well", Brass directed. After giving the name and addresses to Brass Grissim hung up the phone. He picked up the phone again, calling Greg. "Sanders", Greg answered. He was presently shoulder-to-shoulder with Misty and frankly loved every minute of it. Misty was just plain hot, he thought to himself. "Greg, you two have anything", Grissim asked. "No not yet", Greg asked. So far, everything is a dead end. We were going to finish up here and grab some lunch and then head over to one more place close by", Greg said. "Good work Greg, keep it up, hopefully we will find something soon", Grissim answered. He stood and got up finding the room Nick and Katherine were using to pour over membership lists. The two had been busy creating a large grid on the wall containing member's names with the listed profession. He heard Nick's stomach grumble. "Nicky you sound hungry", Grissim smiled. "Yea" Nick replied looking at the clock. "Lets grab lunch and discuss our findings", Grissim replied. "Meet in the lounge", he directed. Twenty minutes later, the group had reassembled. Nick munching on a large sub sandwich with chips, Katherine who was again dieting was munching on a salad. Grissim himself had a veggie burger. Sara had turned him onto them. Eating them reminded him of her. "Well what have you found", he asked. Nick shrugged with a sigh, "Nothing concrete. A few ranchers we should look into. I have them listed. Nothing that stands out", he admitted. Grissim informed the others what he had learned from Greg and Misty as well as the information he had gained from Brass. "The DNA on one of the cigarette buts found at the scene matches the DNA from under the victims fingernails as well as the semen. Unfortunately it is not a DNA match to any known individual", Katherine added. Grissim nodded. He then reviewed the information he had gleamed from the patient's charts. By sharing information, he hoped that they would discover some connection or tie. Their discussion was cut short by the ringing of Grissim's cell phone. "Gill he has hit again", Brass said quickly when Grissim answered. "Turn on channel seven", he directed, "then call me back."

The team turned toward Grissim expectantly, hoping it was some sort of lead. Silently Grissim picked up the remote for the television in the break room and turned to channel seven. Katherine blanched, knowing in her heart that this was not good news. "Oh God", Nick said softly under his breath, he too assuming the worse. Their worst fears were confirmed. The serial killer has struck again.

"The wife of a prominent Vegas surgeon, Dr. William Green, brought this letter to the station at the direction of the person who is claiming to have abducted his earlier this evening. Mrs. Green, arriving home from a social gathering, found the letter taped to the front door of their LasVegas home", the announcer said as the camera switched from her to a close up of the letter she had brought in. The team moved in closer, examining the letter as the announcer read it aloud. "Mrs. Green. I have abducted your husband as I abducted Theresa Taborsky earlier. He needs to pay for the suffering and wrongs he has caused others to suffer. He too will suffer greatly first, then his life will be ended. That is unless they catch me first, which is highly unlikely. You must take this letter to channel seven. If you do not take the letter to them, before you even go to the police, I will kill him immediately, eliminating any chance he has. By the way he sends you his love, whatever that is worth". "And the poor guys wife ran right to the station with the letter probably smearing any prints we might have found. Gris this guy is smart", Nick said banging the table in frustration. "Nick, that is just what he wants to do, frustrate us. Do not let him do it, it will cloud our thinking. I think we have a crime scene to investigate. Everyone grab his or her gear. I will call Greg and Misty", he directed. He wanted every inch of Green's home covered.

The team met up at Green's home, met by Brass. "The letter is already been sent to the lab for analysis", Brass said. "Good", Grissim replied walking with his team toward the house. "We will take the outside", Greg said, referring to himself and Misty. Grissim paused. The media was already arriving in groves. He was not sure how Misty would handle the probing shouts of questions from the media. Fortunately, the front lawn was huge and the crime scene tape set well away from where the two would be working. Deciding it would be a good test he nodded. "Remember no talking to the media", he cautioned Misty. She nodded silently in understanding. The two CSI's got to work.

Grissim, Katherine, and Nick entered the house together, putting on paper booties to avoid contamination of any footprints they might find on the floor. Entering the large foyer Grissim said, "Nick how about you start upstairs. Katherine and I will work down." Nick nodded. He would have rather worked downstairs where the action was. The rational behind why Grissim made the decisions he often did as to who worked where often eluded Nick. He was sure Gris had a reason however so he got to work. Besides, he thought you never knew where an important clue might lie. He started in the victim's bedroom. Pulling back the covers, he used the ultraviolet like to look for traces of blood. All he saw was semen stains. Despite the fact, he assumed it was the victim's semen; he took the sheets in for analysis. He carefully scrutinized everything else in the bedroom. Nothing appeared out of place. He dusted for prints, lifting numerous prints, most of which he assumed would be the victims and his wife's. Finishing in the bedroom, he made his way to the Master bath. "Pay dirt", Nick whispered. The room looked as if a struggle had occurred. Mrs. Green had a soap dish with colored soaps matching the green and mauve décor of the bathroom. The soaps were scattered all over the floor and the soap dish lay shattered on the ground. Nick stopped photographing the scene. He glanced up at the mirror, noting blood smears present. Again, he snapped photos of the mirror. Glancing to the ground, he noted bloody footprints. He knelt, opening his kit, removing a swab. Taking a small sample, he labeled it placing it carefully in the kit to be taken to the lab later. He then proceeded to pull a clear sheet from his kit, carefully placing it over the footprints he had found. Obtaining samples of each print, he carefully labeled them, placing them beside the kit. He worked his way to the mirror. Again he took a blood sample, confirming it was human he obtained an additional sample, labeled it and placed it in the kit. As he was making a note of how high the blood smear was, he heard Grissim making his way toward the bathroom. "I think you hit it big Nick", Grissim said. "I talked with the wife. The victim is about six foot tall", he added. "I'm betting that the perp attached the victim from behind, smashing his head into the mirror. It would be about the right height if the Vic's was six foot", Nick said. Grissim nodded. "That is assuming it is the victims. The wife is going to provide us with a hair sample for DNA so we can be certain", Grissim countered. There was a print on the toilet lid as well. Grissim obtained it, labeling it placing it in his kit. They surveyed the rest of the bathroom finding little else of use.

Meeting Greg and Misty outside, they assembled discussing the findings. "It looks like the victim was possibly assaulted in the Master bathroom. That is the only area where there was any sign of a struggle, and the only area where we found any definite trace. Footprints from the kitchen ceramic tile had been obtained, but Grissim assumed they were the victim's and his wife's. Samples of any shoes of either were taken for comparison. Grissim already saw what he thought were matches, but they would take them in and run them for definitive comparison. The shoe print from the bathroom looked suspiciously like the print retrieved from the previous crime scene.

Again, a crowd had gathered. Grissim saw no familiar faces, but snapped several photos of the crowd. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of looking at other crime scene photos of the miniature killer, who had been watching him and Sara process the scene. She had seen one tender moment and noticed what most of his own co-workers had missed, that he and Sara were in love with each other. It was not unusual for individuals to return to the scene of a crime they committed, to watch the drama unfold.

Brass caught Brass on the way to the car. "Well", Brass asked. "We think the perp abducted the victim in the Master bathroom. There was blood on the mirror, a fingerprint on the toilet, and a footprint", Grissim answered quietly to keep bystanders from hearing anything.

No Face man was dressed in work clothes, quietly pruning the bushes beside the neighbor's house. He had determined that the neighbors were gone, so no one would question the gardener pruning the flowerbed in their absence. It allowed him to keep his face down, so no attention would be drawn to his features. He wore a floppy hat, which did an excellent job of shading and therefore hiding his face. He slowly worked his way over closer to the curb where Grissim and Brass were talking. "So, where are we at Gill", Brass asked. "We have to get a lead somewhere", he said. "We are working on it Jim. We will leave no stone unturned", he added. "You were right Gill", Brass added. "This man has not got much patience. How much time do you think this one has", he asked. Grissim looked up into the Vegas sun then back down at Jim. "I doubt as long as Theresa Taborsky had", he replied. Grissim sighed. "He will mess up Brass. They all do at some point. Hopefully sooner than later", Grissim added. No Face Man watched the team depart. He had heard Grissim's comments. His fists clenched in anger. Yes, Gill Grissim is going to have to be dealt with, he thought.

Once again, the processing of evidence began. The shoe print was determined to perfectly match the one found at the previous crime scene. The DNA of the blood at the scene matched that of the victim. A cigarette that was found in the yard by Misty contained a DNA sample that matched that of one of the cigarettes found at the factory Theresa Taborsky's body had been found at. The shoe prints found on the ceramic tile kitchen floor matched the shoes of both the Vic's and his wife. If the perp had been in the kitchen, he had not left any obvious trace evidence. There was a significant amount of evidence that would help convict the perp once they found him, but unfortunately nothing to give a clue as to who he was. The team was tired and frustrated. They were presently all on overtime, having worked over to finish processing the scene.

Knowing however, that someone's life was on the line, the team returned to the task of tracking what evidence they did have. Brass obtained a search warrant, he and Grissim heading to the offices of Dr. Green. Their immediate goal was to find any patients who had been referred by Dr. Taborsky, or any patients whom Dr. Green had referred to Dr. Taborsky. They assumed that there was some common tie.

Taking the files back to the CSI office, Grissim began to pour over them as well. Greg continued the task of trying to locate the metal workshop that might have created the branding iron pattern found in the burns on Taborsky's body. To Greg's disappointment, Grissim kept Misty with him to help pour over the charts for a possible connection between the two physicians. Brass was interviewing Dr. Green's partners. Katherine and Nick worked on the lists of Cosco members who had purchased Avelo cleanser.

Exhausted, Nick lowered his head to the table some twenty hours after the start of their shift. The next shift had arrived and was helping take over review of some of the records as well as some of the patient charts. The entire office prayed for the discovery of some sort of connection. "It seems we are trying to find a needle in a haystack", Nick moaned. "Plus I have a feeling we don't have long. He didn't give us a week last time and it makes me nervous we have not heard from him yet", Katherine admitted softly. Nick only nodded.

Misty worked diligently along side Grissim, occasionally casting a glance his way. Although several years her senior she found him interesting and attractive. Occasionally, her fatigue was too overwhelming, and she allowed her mind to wander, fantasying about what it would be like to be with him. "God girl, get a hold of yourself", she chastised herself silently. There was someone's life at stake here. Grissim did allow them both a couple short breaks, to get up, stretch, and get a cup of coffee. During that time, she did allow herself the opportunity to flirt a little. After the last break was ending, she crept up behind Grissim, massaging his shoulders gently. "You are so tense", she said softly. He was tense, but although the massage felt wonderful, Grissim also felt somewhat uncomfortable with her actions. He was sure she did not mean anything by it, but uneasily he shrugged her hands away and encouraged her to return to work. I'm fine Misty, thanks", he said. Flustered and frustrated at his reactions she replied, "OK, Sorry".

Grissim finally realized that the team was too tired to get much more done. They had been at work over twenty hours and awake without sleep much longer than that. The next shift was working on the evidence as well. It was time to rest and be able to return with a fresh set of eyes. Grissim encouraged the team to return home and get some rest.

When he arrived home, he checked his messages. The light was blinking twice. The first was Rebecca, "Hey just checking in on you. Hope the headache got better. The kids say Hi and that they love you. Check on you later. Get some rest." The second message warmed his heart even more. "Hey Gill, it's me. Hope you are doing OK. It looks like a big case. Would you rather I wait until the following week to come there. Call me. Talk to you later", Sara's throaty voice said. Grissim looked at his watch. She would be sleeping he thought. Best to wait until morning to call. "Damn it Sara, quit trying to run away", he thought. He knew he was going to tell her that she would come no matter what. He had already conferred with Eckley who was surprisingly supportive although partially selfish in motivation. "You will get the time off to try to work things out Gill. After all, you were right. She is a great CSI and we could use her experience back here", he directed. Grissim had smiled and laughed to himself. All he cared about was having Eckley's support; he really did not care about the motivation behind that support. Exhausted he slipped in between the silk sheets Sara had bought for their bed and fell immediately asleep.

When he arrived at the office the next morning, he saw the voice mail blinking. Wondering if it was Sara trying to reach him again, he hit the button. He was surprised to hear a male voice, obviously disguised, and altered digitally. "Well I have another one Dr. Grissim. Do not worry, I will not hurt you. You are not a medical Doctor you see. You study bugs. That is what these people are to me. Bugs. They caused me pain, now I am going to cause them pain. Payback is a bitch Mr. Grissim. You said I did not have patience. Well I want you to know that I do. I did not even touch him until this morning. I let him sit and brew. Then because it was his fingers that serve him in his evil mission, I cut them off one by one and saved them for you. You will find them at a locker at Happy Sams skating park. Locker number 78. Have fun trying to find me. Personally I suggest you give up", the voice taunted.

The rest of the team had just finished putting away their belongings in their locker and had entered in time to hear the bulk of the message. "I take it that wasn't Sara", Greg asked. Grissim shot him a look at his lame attempt at humor. He quickly pulled the tape from the machine and took it to audiovisual for Archie to review. He then called the operator to check to see where the call had come from. It was made from a payphone on the west side of Las Vegas. "The Cosco store is on the West side", Katherine commented. Misty was sent over with Greg to the site of the payphone. "It probably will be a bust, there are always so many print smudges on a payphone, you seldom get a usable print", Greg said trying to show off his skills to impress Misty. Misty like so many other women essentially ignored Greg's attempts to flirt. Having already pissed Grissim off and having his ego deflated by Misty's obvious indifference to him, he quieted, just working quietly after this. "I will follow up on this new lead", Greg said, leaving to print the phone. "Misty and I will go check out the locker", Grissim replied, knowing Brass would easily be able to obtain any search warrant he needed to access the locker.

Misty was nervous. She did not want to embarrass herself again by almost tossing her cookies at the site of someone's cut off fingers. She wanted to impress herself right into her supervisor's pants and being nauseated at any dead body or cut off body parts was not the way to do it.

The two arrived at the skate park, met by Brass, who had a search warrant in hand. "Gill", he said eyeing Misty cautiously. He just did not trust this girl. Her infatuation with Grissim was so transparent and Gill could be so naïve. He led the CSIs to locker 78. The metallic smell of blood was evident almost immediately upon opening the locker. Misty had photographed the outside of the locker and now photographed the inside as well. Grissim then reached in with a gloved hand and pulled out a plastic wrapped cloth, which was soaked in blood. Grissim glanced around to make certain that no spectators were around, then carefully opened the package. Inside were ten fingers, severed just above the knuckle. Grissim placed the digits in a plastic baggie, labeling and sealing it as per policy. He watched Misty as she first printed the outside of the locker and then the inside. There were multiple prints.

Brass watched them process evidence. After awhile he left, beginning to conduct the interviews of the staff and management of the skate park. Unfortunately, there was no video camera surveillance of the premises. Security was generally not an issue, the manager had explained. Yea, they had had a few break-ins in the past, but there really was not much to damage. The rental skates were locked behind metal doors and thus difficult to get into. There was not much to do to the ice. The management figured the expense was not worth it. There was a security system if someone broke in. There was no alarm that sounded during the night, so it was likely that whoever left the fingers in the locker did it during operational hours. "Any record of who gets what locker key", Brass asked. "Sorry, no we do not keep records. This place is too busy to track all of that. Everybody gets a key for a locker, and then everyone turns in a key when they leave. Brass nodded, frustrated at the lack of security. "So would anyone remember who gave out this particular key", Brass asked. "Well, we can ask. If there was something remarkable about the person, maybe", the manager replied. "Let me ask the boy that was working behind the counter today", he said. "Brad, come here", he directed. The teen walked over to Brass and his boss. "Yes Mr. Thompson", he asked his boss. "You remember whom you gave key 708 to", he asked. The boy looked at the key. "Sure. I remember the woman", he replied. "Woman", Brass asked in disbelief. Everything they had to go on indicated this was a man. "Yea, she was like a bag lady. That is why I remember her. I thought there was no way she was going to go skating. I was not even sure she had skates. In fact I doubted it, but she was making a scene that she had the right to skate if she had the money yadda yadda. So I gave her a key", he said. "So did she skate", Brass asked. "I didn't see for sure, but I doubt it. She was not here very long", he added. "Brad, I need you to come with me for awhile. I need you to help someone draw a description to an forensic artist, so that we can try to identify this woman", Brass directed. "We will see you either get back to work or back home afterward", Brass reassured the teen. "OK", the teen replied.

With nothing much more to be learned at the crime scene, Grissim and Misty gathered their kits and left to go back to the lab. Once at the lab Grissim deposited the fingers with Doc Robbins. "At least it is not a whole body", Doc Robbins said dryly. "Not yet", Grissim replied, equally Grim. Doc Robbins quickly confirmed that the fingers were in fact real. DNA should be able to confirm they are the victim's he added, providing Grissim with a sample to take to DNA. They also printed the fingers, so they could compare to the victim's prints that had been obtained earlier in his home.

The prints were the victim's as everyone had expected, the DNA confirming his identity as well. Grissim and Misty returned to work at the files. Somehow, there was a connection between Theresa Taborsky and Green. Brass had the teen working with the forensic artist. Toward the end of the shift, Brass entered Grissim's office. He saw Misty working along side Grissim, leaning in toward him more than Brass felt was necessary. The girl had chosen what Brass found to be a very provocative blouse, somewhat low cut, displaying more of her ample bosom than was necessary in Brass's eyes. Her shoulder touched Grissim's, who was too engrossed in his work to notice.

"Gill", he interrupted clearing his throat. "We have the composite photo of the woman done", he added holding up a picture. He showed the picture to Grissim. "This is not our person", Grissim replied, handing Brass the photo back. "Yea, most likely this little woman did not grab our vics. Either it is a disguise, which given the body build our young witness indicated, probably not. My guess is that it is someone our perp hired to deposit the package", he added. Grissim nodded, "But she could lead us to our perp". Brass nodded. I have the boy looking through mug shots in that event. If she has a record, we stand a better chance of locating her quickly. If not, I suspect we will still be able to locate her. We will just need to go looking at the shelters in the area", Brass added.

Unfortunately, the boy could not find the old woman in any of the many mug shots he looked through. Brass in the mean time had put out an APB on the woman, hoping the distribution of her photo would lead to her apprehension. She was the one person who had perhaps had contact and was aware of the suspect's identity.

Since he was no longer of any use, Brass sent the teen home. He had given him his card as had Grissim, in the event the boy remembered anything helpful or potential helpful. The boy nodded. It had been an exciting experience but a frightening one for him as well. It was always possible that he was so stressed that he did miss something important. His shift was work was already over so Brass escorted the kid home. Grissim, needing to have his team multitask to the extreme, sent Misty out alone to continue tracking the branding iron pattern on the metal shop designs. Grissim once again could feel the victim's time running out. As he reviewed the files, he could hear the clock ticking loudly.

On his way back from taking the boy home, Brass's phone rang. "Brass", he flipped open the phone. "All right, bring her in. I will be right back there. I'm going to take you back and have you identify someone", Brass informed the teen turning the vehicle back around. "Apparently the description you have us gave us a potential lead", he explained. The teen nodded, finding this exciting.

Once back at the station Brass escorted the teen back to a waiting area. One of the staff at the homeless shelter had called in a tip. Apparently, a woman fitting the teen's description frequented the shelter. Maybe this is our big break, Brass thought. He had the woman brought to an interrogation room. Grissim, who had already gotten word of her being brought in, met him there. Before entering, Brass asked the teen to see if the woman was the one at the skate park. "Yea", the kid replied. "She had the goofy hat on. I would not forget that", he added. "Ok you wait here", Brass directed.

The old woman sat at the table, her shoulders hunched over. One of the officers had given her a soda to drink and she sipped on it slowly. Grissim and Brass watched from outside as the officer settled the woman and exited the room. "Good luck, this on is a full fledged fruitcake", he said. Grissim and Brass entered. "Hi", she said smiling. "Hi", Grissim and Brass replied exchanging looks. "Do you know why we are here", Brass asked sitting down quietly. "I guess it was something about the skate park", the woman replied obviously confused. "OK", Brass sighed realizing this was not going to be a very productive interrogation. The woman appeared crazy. "Lets start with your name", he asked. "Dolly Parton", the woman replied. "Dolly Parton, as in the singer", Grissim confirmed. "One in the same", she replied grinning broadly. Brass rolled his eyes. "Dolly, where do you live", Grissim asked gently. "Well not I have not sold records in awhile, so you know, I live here and there", Dolly replied. "I see", Brass nodded. "Is one of the heres the shelter", he asked. "Why yes, they are so nice there. I perform for them you know", she replied. "They let me shower too", she added. Based on the smell she had not been at the shelter for a while, Brass thought to himself. "Dolly, Grissim asked", Were you at the skate park today?" "Why yes I was. I had a job to do", she whispered. Mostly I just sing my songs for people, but early this morning this man asked me to take a package to the skate park, and put it in one of the lockers", she said. "I did a really good job", she said proudly. "Yes you did", Brass nodded. "How did you get into the skate park? Who paid your way in", he questioned. "The man gave me money to go in. I thought it was a silly job, and that I should just take the money to buy something to eat later, but he said there would be more than that if I did a good job. So I took my chances and delivered his silly package and he have me fifty dollars", Dolly laughed. "So you told him which locker you put the package in", Brass, asked. "Yes I sure did" she replied proudly. "I remembered it really well. My memory is not so good sometimes", she whispered, then giggled. Brass and Grissim exchanged looks. They had an eyewitness who saw the man who probably killed Theresa Taborsky and currently had Dr. Green in his clutches. Unfortunately, she was several bricks short of a full house! "Dolly, can you tell us what this man looked like", Grissim asked. "Well, he was tall and thin", Dolly answered. Brass signed in frustration. He knew they needed to pull the information from Dolly at her own pace or they might loose the ability to get anything at all from her, but that did not make him any more patient. "How about his face", he asked. "Well, that is harder. You see it was dark. I really didn't get a good look", she said. He talked to me from outside my box at first. He told me not to look, but I peeked out the tiny hole in my box anyway", she said. Dolly had been found sleeping in her "box", under a bridge near the skate park. Brass sighed trying to let the woman talk at her own pace, sensing he would get more from her. "But it was dark. His face seemed lumpy and bumpy and blurry", she said confused. "Could you describe his features", Brass asked. Dolly thought for a minute. "Well, I just don't know", she replied. "I quit looking because he frightened me. Anyway, he gave me the directions and the money to get in, and then he left. I didn't seem him again until after I had delivered his package and come back to my box", she answered. "Was he wearing a mask perhaps", Grissim asked. "A mask", Dolly said. "I suppose that is possible. I just do not know", she answered. "I am hungry. If I could eat I could help more", she answered. "Dolly, what do you mean when you say his face was blurry or bumpy", Grissim asked. "I only glanced because it frightened me", she said. "I just don't know", she said as she began to sing "Working Nine to Five, What A Way to Make a Living". Try as they might that was all either Grissim or Brass could get out of Dolly. She was gone in her own fictional world.

Several hours later, after they had finally given up on the interview, Dolly being retained in a holding cell. "He had to have been wearing a mask", Brass said. "Yea, possibly", Grissim replied. "Anyway, unless she comes back to the same plane of reality we are on she is of little use", Brass stated. "Well you never know what clue might be helpful", Grissim, argued. "Yea", Brass said frustration evident in his voice.

No Face Man parked. He had driven quite a distance from his location, but did not feel he could be too careful. He watched for a moment until he saw no one else walking around. Then he quickly exited his car and made his way to the mailbox. He slipped the package into the box, smiling as he did.

Grissim and is entourage spent the rest of the day looking for any leads and trying to find any similarities in the data collected. Their grid had expanded, necessitating putting the data into the computer. They had gone back through three years of patient files so far and were currently starting on the fourth year. They had a list of possibilities; all weak that Brass was in the process of checking out. So far, no one stood out as a real suspect. However, weak leads were at least leads and in a case such as this, where you had no strong leads it was their best option.

Oddly, they heard nothing more from the kidnapper. No tapes were left at television stations. No packages were left. The team wondered what the kidnapper was up to. As much as they hated getting a tape of the victim being tortured, it at least offered hope of a lead. The shift ended however, and Grissim and he team left for home to rest. Discouragement reigned.

The next day however offered at least another opportunity at gleaming some hard evidence leading them to a suspect. Greg and Misty were following up on a few possibilities related to the tattoo. Nick was working the angle of the branding iron, checking with metal shops in Vegas, expanding into the immediate area as well. Katherine and Grissim sat pouring over charts, focusing on those patients that Taborsky had given surgical referrals to Green. It at least limited the numbers, but had not yet revealed anyone who appeared suspicious. Anyone who had seen both physicians was getting checked out regardless. "Dr. Grissim", the secretary said entering his office. She held a package. "This is labeled as urgent to the crime lab", she said, handling the package by the edges only. "I did handle the package before I realized how it was labeled and what it might be, sorry", she added. Bernice had been well trained not to handle any package that appeared suspicious, but unfortunately, you did not know how a package was labeled or that it did not contain a return address until you had already handled. "I understand Bernice. Thanks for letting me know", Grissim replied showing the woman he was not angry and understood. He felt she did a great job and always had. He watched as she sat the package on the table. Donning latex gloves, he picked the package up carefully. He wanted to open the package immediately, but knew caution would be in his and Katherine's best interests. He carefully carried the package over to a lab worker. "I need this x-rayed for contents", he directed. He waited while the tech did his job. "Nothing but paper as far as one can tell", the tech replied. Grissim nodded. "Thanks", he said. He carefully examined the outside of the box for trace. Finding no readily observable trace evidence, he dusted for prints. There were several. Katherine did the task of lifting and labeling them to run in AFIS later. For now, they were anxious to see what might be inside the box. Grissim headed for the hood. Katherine followed him to under the hood. Caution needed to be taken opening any sealed package. It could contain aerosolized poison or bacteria such as Anthrax. He and Katherine put on masks, gowns, and gloves and placed the box under the hood. Using his pocketknife, Grissim carefully opened the edges of the package. Under the protection of the hood, they carefully examined the contents. "Oh God", Katherine exclaimed, almost forgetting caution and bringing her hand toward her mouth to cover it. Grissim caught the near slip and cautioned, "Careful Kat. I doubt there is anything hazardous to us in this box, but I would hate to find out we were wrong the hard way." She nodded.

The pictures were of Doctor Green. Like Taborsky, he appeared to have suffered chemical burns over his entire body. In one photograph, it appeared that he had multiple hooks protruding from his skin; in another, he had been suspended from those hooks. Grissim and Katherine were both quiet. Grissim quietly went about printing the photos, again finding a few. Katherine lifted them and labeled them carefully. "Lets get these over to Archie", he indicated. Katherine only nodded. Archie enlarged the photos. "It appears he has them in the same basement", he observed, noting the same beams as in the videos previously sent. "So he has not changed locations", Katherine commented. "Which means he is comfortable we will not find him", Grissim commented. Katherine nodded. "The hooks look like the type used in meat packing plants", Archie commented. "Which means they are deeply embedded into the tissue", Grissim commented. "If we do not get to this man soon, he is going to die of infection before the kidnapper finishes the job", Katherine shuddered. In general, the photos lead to no real lead. Grissim decided to wait until the rest of the team made their way back to the lab before telling them of the photos. He did call Brass to inform him of the most recent development. Subdued Brass merely replied, "OK, thanks Gill".

At the end of another exhausting shift, Greg, Misty, and Nick returned. Discouraged at finding no further leads they sat slumped sharing their day. Grissim rubbed his eyes. Frustration was evident. He knew the team was exhausted. It was time to let the next shift take over. They all needed a break and some rest. However, he also felt the ticking of the clock for Green. They briefly reviewed what each had learned. Grissim and Katherine shared the photos with the rest of the team. Exhausted but wired at the latest news, Greg suggested breakfast. Realizing the team needed the camaraderie Grissim smiled. "Yea, lets do that", he said. "Its on me", he added.

A short while later, the entire team sat taking a much-needed social break. By mutual agreement, they had decided that no one would discuss the case. None of them paid any attention to the man who entered the café after them, seating himself in a booth behind them. "How has Lindsey been"? Nick asked Katherine. The entire team had watched Lindsey grow from a little girl to a teen. She had dealt Katherine enough trouble in those years. Katherine laughed, "She is doing great. She is on cloud nine because a young man who she has been lusting after is taking her to prom. In fact, before I come to work tonight, I promised her I would help her find a prom dress." "And who will win the argument over how much cleavage she gets to show", Greg teased. "It might have to be a compromise. I do not want her making some of the mistakes I did. I would have her wear a dress that goes all the way to her chin", Katherine replied laughing. "But you know she has to make her own mistakes, just like all teens", Grissim advised. "Yea, she does. I just don't want her to make the same ones I did", Katherine admitted. "Have you heard from Sara", Greg asked immediately regretting it. Grissim had been bombarded with questions when Sara had first left and finally lost his cool. He was surprised at Grissim's reaction. "Actually she is coming to visit", Grissim admitted. "Really". Nick said. "When were you going to let us all know? We would love to see her." "Well now hopefully Grissim will keep her so busy she won't have time for us", Katherine teased. Grissim reddened, "I am sure she will want to see you all too." Nick, Greg and Katherine all stifled a laugh, imaging that Grissim would keep Sara plenty busy all by himself. "So how did your hot date go the other night Greg", Nick asked. "Awesome. I think I have found Mrs. Greg Saunders", Greg smiled. "Ah, wait till she really knows you Greg", Katherine teased. Misty was quiet. She did not yet fully feel a part of the team. Grissim, sensing her quiet, wanted to facilitate her feeling part of the group. "How about you Misty? We are still getting to know you?" Misty paused, feeling awkward. "Well, what would you like to know", she finally asked. "Your hobbies, interests, any pets, family", Katherine asked genuinely. "Well I have no family here in Vegas. They are all in a small town about two hours from here called Hillsborough. If you blink too long you miss it. I have a dog named Toto. I know that is a silly name. I really like to play tennis and read", Misty said. "Toto, like Dorothy's dog in the Wizard of Oz", Greg asked. "I like it. What kind of dog is he or she", he asked. "He, and he is a poodle", Misty admitted. "Anyone special in your life", Greg asked. Misty paused. She had broken up with her boyfriend of two years just before moving to Vegas. Her interests currently lay on a man who was totally ignoring her in any way but professionally. "No, not right now", she said quietly, letting the subject drop there. The team made other small talk, then food arrived and they all were quiet while they ate. Once done eating, fatigue began to overtake them. Everyone was winding down. Despite their promise not to talk about the case, they began to talk about the case. They glanced around them, discovering the café was essentially empty. No one saw the man in the booth behind them, huddled way to the back of the booth. "We have a lot of work yet to do tomorrow", Katherine began, the first to mention the case. "Yea, we have enough to convict this guy once we have him, we just have to figure out who he is before it is too late", Nick said in frustration. "So Grissim, what makes this guy tick?" Yea,you always have ideas about this sort of thing", Greg added. The entire team sat waiting for Grissim to speak. "All I am certain of is that he is angry. He as a beef against Taborsky and Green, either real or legitimate. We have not found any claims paid out that fit in either doctor, so I am assuming it is not a legitimate case of malpractice. My sister is a physician. I watch her struggle to do the best by her patients in everything she does. She is an OB-GYN. She kicks herself anytime someone looses an infant. In most cases, physicians do everything in their power to have the very best outcome for their patient. Sometimes, things do not go as well as expected. Sometimes, the physicians make mistakes. In those cases, there is the court system to reach a legal means of restitution. This guy is taking things into his own hands. If he had a case legally against either or both doctors, he could have gone to any attorney in the city and they would have taken the case on retainer", Grissim said. "So you think this guy has no real beef", Nick asked. "Maybe, maybe not. In any case, he is taking things into his own hands and that is wrong. We need to get something. We need to find him before he takes justice in his own hands", Grissim continued. It was obvious he was passionate about this case. The team, who were not previously aware that their boss had a sister, now understood his passion for this case. He related to these victims personally. There was a pregnant pause. "Hey Gris, we will find him", Nick said finally, breaking the silence. Grissim nodded grabbing the bill. "Lets all go home, get some rest so we are fresh for our shift", he directed. The group nodded, wearily going home to catch some sleep before they put their noses back to the grindstone.

Grissim pulled out of the parking lot heading home. He did not think twice about the car that pulled out behind him. He rubbed his eyes wearily. He hoped to be close to an end to this case. Sara was going to be here in a few days. He wanted to be able to spend all his time with her, but feared this case would interfere. He pounded his fists in frustration.

Once he got home, he checked his personal e-mail. The first one was from Sara. "Hey Gill. I have been watching the news. It looks like things are not going so great with the case. If you need me to postpone, let me know. I would understand. I love you, Sara". Grissim began to type in a response, and then stopped. Instead, he picked up the phone, not caring what time it was and if she was sleeping. She answered after several rings, "hello". "Sara, sorry were you sleeping", he asked, now embarrassed that he called her and woke her up. "Yea, but that's OK. I am glad to hear your voice. I have been worried about you. I know how you can be when a case is tough. You do not sleep; you do not get enough rest. I know this case must affect you more than others, with your sister being a physician", she said. "Yea, I suppose it does", Grissim admitted, realizing for the first time that this tie might have made him loose his objectivity. "We still have so little do go on Sara. A lot to convict, but nothing to locate. It is the worse case scenario. I do not think Green has much time", Grissim admitted. Sara said nothing, allowing him to ventilate. After a pause he added, "But about your postponing, no way. They will have to locate this creep without me come Friday", he said firmly. "I am not allowing you to back out Sara. Quit trying to run. You have run all your life and I am not letting you run this time. I want you back Sara", he said passionately. There was a silence. "Sara", he questioned finally unable to take the lack of response any longer. "I am tired of running", she said softly. "I just am not sure where I want to go from here, and what I want to do", she added. "As long as it includes me it does not matter", Grissim replied. "Ok, then I will be there as planned. My flight gets in around 6:00", she added. "Good, I will make reservations for 8:00 for dinner", Grissim replied.

No face man watched the outside of Grissim's townhouse. "You do not understand my reasons, but you will", he whispered to himself. "You think you are so smart and so cool. You judge me. I tried the legal route. No one would take the case. I did not loose enough, they said. Well I will see you loose something precious. You have to have someone in your life that is special. You are close to your co-workers, but I want someone closer than that. Someone's whose loss will affect your life forever. I am just not certain whom yet", he said through gritted teeth. "For now I have someone I need to attend to. I have had to be careful, you have all the studios covered with cameras trying to catch me. But you can not cover every mailbox in the city can you", he continued. Sighing, he turned the key in the ignition and returned home. It was time to really make Green scream, he thought chuckling.

Grissim's phone rang only a few hours sleep. "Grissim", he answered. It was Eckley. "Gill you better come in. It is Green. We have another body", he added. Grissim sighed, hanging up the receiver. The case was escalating and they would require all shifts to work day and night, with a bare minimum of rest with a second dead body. He got up, showered to awaken himself better, dressed, and headed out the door.

He arrived at the hotel parking lot where the body had been found. The body was behind a dumpster. Greg and Nick were already searching through the trash for evidence. "Hey look at this", Greg cried finding a piece of cloth with a yellow stain similar to the one found on Taborsky's blouse. The odor of the stain resembled it as well. "It is probably Aveno cleaner", Nick replied as Greg bagged the evidence. They collected a few other possible pieces of evidence, a few hairs, a few drops of blood, and an allergy bracelet indicating an allergy to Penicillin. They would do DNA analysis on the hairs and blood to see if it was the victims or the kidnappers or neither. They would check the allergy band for prints. If it was the kidnappers, it might be another means to trace him. It was not much, but every little bit of knowledge they gleamed from the evidence, meant that they were closer to finding him. Grissim and David preformed a preliminary exam of the body. Grissim noted skin beneath the victim's fingernail, taking a sample from each. "Well, this body is in as bad of shape as the other victims. His face has been burned, probably with chemicals. He has multiple open gashes and sores, probably from the hooks you saw in the photograph. It is hard to tell what exact COD was", David said.

Grissim nodded as David prepared the body for transport.

Back at the lab, they processed the evidence they had again collected. Praying that something would lead them to the kidnapper before he took someone else, they worked silently and efficiently. By the time they finished, it was almost the middle of the shift. They regrouped to see what they had learned. "Well the blood found at the scene is the victims", Greg reported. "And the cleaner is Avelo", Katherine indicated. "The penicillin bracelet had a print on it. It matches one we found on the videotape", Misty added. "So it either belonged to our victim or our kidnapper, either way he got his print on it", Grissim added, hopeful at some concrete new lead. It would help them narrow their search if the kidnapper was allergic to penicillin. "Actually the victim, Dr. Green had no penicillin allergy. Therefore, it is probably the kidnapper that is allergic", she added. "Good work, that will narrow suspects down a bit", Grissim added, thinking of the number of patients he could remove from this grid.

Grissim and the team poured over files diligently until their vision blurred and the could no longer concentrate. Eckley entered the room. "It is time you all go home", he directed, looking at the weary faces. Grissim glanced at his watch, realizing he had been oblivious of the time. They had worked for 30 hours solid and had not even realized it. The rest of the team started to protest. Grissim interrupted. "Eckley is right. We all need to rest", he said standing. "I will have the next shift work on it, keep searching", Eckley said. Grissim nodded, realizing the team needed a break. After seeing Grissim's response, the team realized that they did need a break. Wearily the got up, heading toward their lockers. Grissim stayed behind and reviewed their progress with the next team of investigators. He glanced at his watch. He needed sleep, but he had something he needed to do more than sleep.

Arriving home, he showered quickly and changed clothes. He had felt the entire team needed a break, but he also had a personal commitment he had to keep. Rarely did he put personal needs before the job, however he found the need to do so now. He had learned with Sarah that family sometimes needed to come first. Climbing back into his Tahoe, he pulled back out of the drive. He knew Rebecca was on a tight time frame, so had agreed to pick her up at Vegas Medical Center where she practiced. Pulling into the parking lot, he paid little attention to the car that pulled in behind him. Entering the main hospital entrance, he walked to the elevators, pressing the button. He waited patiently for the elevator to arrive, pushing the button for the second floor.

The No Faced man kept a reasonable pace behind Grissim. Close enough to see where he was going, but no so close as to draw attention. Grissim was distracted anyway, focusing on the task at hand. He watched Grissim enter the first elevator that arrived. Once Grissim had entered, he walked quickly to the elevator noting where the elevator stopped. Fortunately Grissim had been the only one entering the elevator and it only stopped on one floor, the second. No Face man knew exactly what floor Grissim had got off on. Wondering where he was going, No Face man pushed the button, entering when the elevator door opened and pushed the button for second floor himself.

Grissim was familiar with the labor and delivery area. It was a secured unit, a sign of the times when hospitals feared infant abductions. A waiting area surrounded a central desk. At the desk sat several nurses and a few physicians. Grissim glanced around, wondering if Rebecca would be at the desk, or in one of the patient care areas, which lay beyond the secured doors. He walked toward the desk spotting her immediately. Full of energy as usual, she stood, phone in hand. The secretary, recognizing him, smiled, nodding Rebecca's direction. Rebecca did not hear him approach. "Dictated report on Mackenzie McPhillips, Medical Record number 457890, Mackenzie is a 28 year old Gravida 4, Para 3, spontaneous onset of labor at 0200 this A.M. Patient was 3 cm, 80 effaced and –1 station with intact membranes on admission at 0300. Labor progress nicely until approximately 0900 at which time she failed to progress past 5 cm. Pitocin augmentation was initiated at 1100 when no further progress was made and insertion of IUPC demonstrated an ineffective labor pattern. Patient achieved an adequate labor pattern at 1330 with gradual progression to complete dilatation by 1400. Epidural anesthesia was utilized for pain control with good relief. She pushed for approximately 15 minutes, at which time she delivered a 7 pound 8 ounce baby boy, apgars of 8 and 9 respectively over an intact perineum. Mother and baby both appear in good condition. This is Doctor Rebecca Grissim-Hensley DEA787868. Thank you. End of dictation. He watched as Rebecca rubbed her forehead, glancing at her watch. She looked up, noticing Grissim for the first time. "Gill", she cried, standing on tiptoes wrapping her arms around his neck, brushing a light kiss on his check. "I was afraid with the case you would not make it. The kids are going to be so happy you are at their recital", she said smiling. "Give me just a few minutes and I will run change and be right with you. Are you really off for the night, or do we need to take separate cars", she quizzed. Breathlessly "I am making myself free for the night. I will take you and the kids and then we can come back over here to get your car", he replied pleased at seeing her smile. "Great", she replied.

As she turned to leave, the doors to the locked unit opened, a blond nurse exiting. "Rebecca! Mrs. McPhillips is postpartum hemorrhaging. I tried opening the Pitocin wide open, but it is not helping. We need you back in there now", she cried. Rebecca turned to Gill. "I will be right back. I am off and my partner is to be taking over. I will just be a minute", she said. The nurse paused, "Well, I tried Dr Tate first. He is not answering his page." Grissim saw Rebecca's face fall. Single parenting had been a trial for her, especially with her responsibilities as a doctor. "Listen I will go get the kids from daycare and meet you back here", Grissim said quickly. "If you can not leave I will take them to the recital", he said. "Ok. Thanks, they will be thrilled. I have to go", she said. As she rushed through the unit doors she called, "If I am not out here by the time you get back just take the kids to the recital, and I will get there when I can", she replied. Grissim nodded his acknowledgement as he walked off the unit. He smiled as he watched her spring into action, calling out orders for medications and lab works taking charge of the emergency. He never noticed the No Faced man who had entered the waiting area quickly sitting down in a chair picking up a magazine holding it up before his face. The elevator arrived and Grissim stepped on to take the elevator to the basement level where the hospital day care was located.

The No Faced man did not go unnoticed by everyone. The secretary, along with all the maternity staff, was trained to notice visitors who come and go. The fact the man arrived in the waiting area, without asking to see a particular patient was suspicious. She left her desk making her way over to him. "Sir", she said, touching his shoulder as he laid the magazine down, preparing to follow Grissim off the floor. Her eyes widened in response when she saw his face, or what there was to it. Professionally controlling her response however, she asked, "Can I help you?" The man did not respond. "Who are you here to see"? She asked. Rather than answer, the man stood abruptly and pushed her aside. "Sir", she asked suspicious and in confusion. She watched as he entered the elevator, which had just opened, making his way inside and quickly pushing the button to close the door.

Concerned, she called security. Mike, the senior security guard answered. "Yea, this is Tammy Green, on OB. I just had a strange man enter the waiting area and when I asked him who he was here to see he just jumped up and left." "Well maybe he realized he had the wrong area Tammy. I know if I accidentally walked onto that unit, I would hurry back off too. No little ankle biters for me man", he teased. "Mike, I am serious, the guy was creepy", she replied angrily. She and Mike had dated a few times. He had been fun, but was too immature for Tammy's taste. "Ok Tammy describe creepy", he jested. "OK, like he had no face", she whispered into the phone, not wanting to appear to offend anyone. "No face", Mike questioned. "Yea, like no nose, an ear gone, part of his check was like, missing", she answered. "You my friend, have been reading too much Stephen King", he replied. "Mike", she exclaimed, drawing the attention of her other co-workers. Realizing he was pissing her off and hoping to get another chance to get in her pants he decided to pacify her. "Sorry Tammy. I am being a jerk. I am sure the video camera captured him on tape. I will pull them and review the tape today. If he come back, do not approach him, just let me know. OK", he asked. "OK, but seriously Mike, look at the tapes", she directed. "I will, but you know maybe the guy had a deformity or something", he responded. "Yea you are probably right. It was just creepy", she admitted. "I will scan the tapes in awhile", Mike promised. "How about a drink tonight after work", he asked. Tammy, forgetting what a jerk Mike could be, only remembering what he had been like in bed smiled, "Sure, what time", she answered.

Mike Cunningham did look at the video like Tammy asked. "Weird", he exclaimed as Tammy's encounter with the No Face man played on the television in his office. He could only see the man from a distance, but the fact that this face had many deformities. Mike watched in silence as the man fled the waiting area. Although he did not entirely fit the description of a potential infant abductor, Mike recalled in his training that there was no set profile for an abductor. Suspicious of the mans activity, Mike completed an incident report, pulling the best profile of the man's face that he could and enlarging it. Attaching it to the incident report he notified the other security officers in the main hospital area, e-mailing so they could access it as soon as they could get to a computer. He also called Tammy back. "Hey doll", he said once she answered the phone. "You might have something about that guy. Are you sure, he was a guy? I mean could he be a woman in disguise." " I do not think so Mike. He would have been one tall and big built woman", Tammy said doubtfully. "Why", she asked. "I don't know, but you are right, he did take off when you approached him. You did right in calling it to our attention. I am going to notify administration, see if they want to treat this like an infant abduction attempt", he answered.

Hanging up, he flipped open his Rolodex, finding the correct number for the administrator on call. After discussing with the administrator Tammy's description of the man and her encounter with him, he asked if they wanted the picture of the man obtained from the video to be sent as a warning to other hospitals and through Vegas Medical itself. "I do not want to put the hospital at risk of a liable suit, not with that little evidence of suspicion", the administrator replied. "No, file the report you filled out and if anyone else reports him exhibiting suspicious activity then try to detain him and call us back. Otherwise let it go", he ordered. "But sir, if he was possibly attempting an abduction, the Center For Missing And Exploited Children recommend that other hospitals in the area be notified", Mike protested. "The center for missing and exploited children does not have to face the potential liable suit", the administrator replied. "Now will that be all", he asked curtly. "Yes sir", Mike replied with a sigh. He looked at the video once again, then pulled it from the player, and labeled it. He had a gut feeling about this man and wished he had been able to act upon it. Damn administrators, he thought, they only worry about the hospitals legal obligation and general appearances and reputation, not about doing what is right! He placed it in his desk drawer and slipped the incident report in the proper file cabinet. It was almost time for Tammy to get off work and he intended to keep their date.

Gill Grissim arrived at the basement area of the hospital and made his way down the long corridor to the day care area. Even from this distance, he could hear children at play. Rebecca had a nanny for off daycare hours, but like the idea of the kids getting social skills at daycare. Recently he had become more involved in the kids life, something he found he enjoyed immensely. Having picked the kids up for Rebecca on other occasions, he knew exactly where to go. "Mr. Grissim", he young blond receptionist, Mandy said smiling when he reached the desk. "You must be here to pick up Daniel and Katrina", she asked. Grissim nodded. "Sorry, I know I who you are and all, but I still need to see identification and double check the record to make sure you are still on the pick-up list", Mandy said apologizing. Grissim did not mind the security. It kept the kids safe. "No problem", he replied reaching for his wallet as Mandy pulled the kids records, confirming that he was still allowed to pick the kids up from the day care. "They will be glad to see you. All they have talked about all day is their church recital. It is more of a talent show I think. Katrina is dancing and little Daniel is going to sing a song", she smiled. "And they kept saying that they hoped you would not be busy at work and unable to come", she added. Grissim smiled. Although part of him felt he should be working, churning the evidence repeatedly in his head until he solved the puzzle, he also knew how much tonight meant to the kids. He knew he owed it to these two children to be there for them when he could. "I'm looking forward to it', he said softly. " OK", Mandy said, handing Grissim the slip, indicating he had been checked out and had permission to take the kids from their rooms. "You remember where to go", she asked. "Yes, thank you", Grissim replied.

He walked down the long hall with multiple doors on each side. He glanced in several rooms noting the kids of various ages, playing. Some were playing creative role-play type games, such as house or school. Others were playing games. Some were sitting around a teacher while she read. He walked to the room four doors down the hall. This was three-year-old Daniel's room. Grissim paused at the entrance. The children sat around a square table, all-coloring. Grissim spotted the little boy, who very much resembled Gill himself at that age, brownish hair, and brownish eyes. Daniels was very serious about whatever he was presently coloring. The teacher heard Grissim enter and looked up. Daniel, a very observant child looked up. "Hi Daniel", Grissim said kneeling down to the boy. "You made it!" Daniel said smiling. "Yes I did", Gill said softly. " Your Mother is tied up at work for a bit so I came to get you", Grissim explained. "OK, cool", Daniel, replied smiling from ear to ear. Grissim momentarily forgot his troubles and stresses at work. "Grab your bag and lets go get your sister", he said. Daniel grabbed his backpack, which contained his recital clothes. "His mother said he needed to change into the clothes in the bag", the teacher directed. "Thank you", Grissim replied. "You can help him change in there", she said, indicating the bathroom. Grissim lead the boy into the room, where the boy pushed the door shut. "Can you help me with the shirt. I have trouble with the buttons", Daniel asked. "I would be delighted", Grissim smiled. The boy quickly dressed and the two exited. "Have a good time Daniel", the teacher called smiling. Daniel and Grissim then made their way to Katrina's room. Sometimes the two were in a room together, and at others, they were separated by ages like today. "Hey Katrina", Daniel called out to his four year old sister. Katrina looked up from where the teacher was reading them a story. "You are here", she jumped up and hugged Grissim tightly. "I have to change", she declared. "I am dancing. Where is Mommy", she asked. Grissim smiled. Katrina was so much like Rebecca, she even looked like her. Her personality was a mirror image as well, full of energy. Grissim started to help her as well. "I can do it by myself", she said, ever independent. "All right Katrina", Grissim smiled, waiting as Katrina ran and grabbed her bag and went to change. She exited soon, dressed in a little tutu. "You need to tie me please", she directed. "My pleasure", Grissim replied putting his finger on top of her head and spinning her around so he could get to the ties in back. Katrina giggled. "Where is Mommy? she finally asked. Grissim hated to respond. They would be disappointed if Rebecca could not make it. "Well she got detained at work", Grissim replied. He seldom talked down to the kids, preferring to expand their vocabulary. "So she can't make it", Katrina pouted her lip out. "I am not sure. We need to stop by the hospital and get her", Grissim replied. "I hope she can leave what is going on there, but you both know sometimes there are things that happen at your Mom's work that mean she has to stay and help make someone well", he added. "But you are going to go", Daniel asked. "Yes I promise", Gil answered softly. "Lets go", he added taking a hand in each of his.

The kids both talked about their day. Katrina showed Grissim a pin she had made in crafts for her dress that day. She had chosen to make a bug. Daniel told Grissim all about his ant farm, which had been a gift from Grissim for his third birthday. Distracted by the kids, Grissim did not notice the No Face man lingering at the end of the hallway, nor did he notice the man following him from a distance.

Grissim lead the children to the elevator, returning to the OB unit to see if the crisis Rebecca was attending to had resolved. No Face Man kept his distance. He feared going back up the Obstetrical Unit for fear he would draw attention to himself. Despite his eagerness to learn about Grissim and the woman he was meeting here, he could not risk detection by the hospital staff. That woman at the desk could be a problem. He contemplated killing her, but wondered if it might only draw further attention to him. Perhaps he would follow her too. Anyway, he did not worry about loosing Grissim. He would be returning to the SUV eventually. "Who was the woman, the Doctor Grissim was taking to", he asked himself. He had seen the children, they looked like Grissim. Were they his children? Grissim's personal information on the government web site he had hacked into had indicated he was single, not divorced, so she could not be an ex-wife. No Face Man was confused. Were the children his? He shrugged. "All my answers in good time", he thought as he slipped into his car, watching the SUV Grissim would be getting into. "I think I may have found your weak spot", he thought smiling, thinking of the hug and brief kiss on the cheek the woman had given Grissim. No matter who she was, it was someone Grissim cared for.


	2. Chapter 2

Episode 2

Grissim entered the obstetrical area with the two children in tow. "Hey Katrina, Daniel", a new receptionist smiled. Grissim, ever observant, realized that shift change for the hospital staff had occurred. "Rebecca said she would be right out", she added returning to work. Grissim sighed in relief. He was not good at bringing bad news to the children. Rebecca emerged from a lounge located adjacent to the waiting area. Having changed from her scrubs into a flirty sundress with heels she had totally transformed. She looked great, despite being the mother of two, Grissim thought. He had encouraged her to start dating again, but she always replied it was too soon. He just wanted to see her happy, but was also aware that she needed time for her heart to mend and to move on. "My partner finally arrived", she explained happily. "Of course by that time the crisis was mostly in control anyway, but he said he would finish up and stay with the patient so that I could get going and be at the recital on time", she added. "Hey kids, were you excited to see your Uncle Gil", she asked. Both kids nodded eagerly. "They look perfect, you did great", she said nodding in approval at their dress. The foursome made their way into the parking lot.

No Face Man watched as Rebecca stopped past her green Prius to retrieve the kid's booster seats. He watched, as she leaned into one side of Grissims SUV, placing the car seat into the car. He smiled in arousal as the dress slipped up, showing a little more leg. This woman might not be part of his original plan, but torturing such a fine specimen might not be a total loss. As Grissim pulled out of the parking lot, he started his engine. Allowing adequate time to avoid suspicion, he too pulled out into the street, keeping a distance of several cars between them. After all, if he lost Grissim, he could always just return here and wait for the woman.

In fact, he thought that he had lost Grissim and was going to have to do just that when he saw Grissim and the woman getting out of the SUV in a church parking lot. He might have missed them if not for the little yellow sun dress the woman wore. He drove around to the opposite site of the lot, pulling in. He waited while the four made their way into the church. There were no other cars pulling in, so he assumed that whatever they were attending was about to start. Waiting another several minutes he slipped out of his car and into the church foyer. He paused when he saw a sign. St. Anthony's Catholic Church youth recital: 5 PM to 7PM: He smiled at his luck. He could just return to the hospital parking lot and hang around 7 P.M. That might give him a chance to catch the secretary, and check her out better. He still worried that she might be a threat. He turned to leave the church, almost stumbling into a young priest, Father Marion. "Are you looking for the recital", the priest asked politely. Although he noticed the deformities in the man's face, he managed to hide the fact well, accustomed to seeing individuals who suffer deformities as part of his mission of God. No Face man kept his face somewhat averted, not wanting the priest to notice him. The priest assumed it was because of his deformities. "Yes, but I do not feel well", No Face Man replied. "I think I had better leave before I come ill", he muttered. He quickly made his way into the parking lot. The priest watched the tall man with the deformed face walk away, saddened because he suspected the man was here to watch some family member, and was uncomfortable because of individual's reactions he might have to face. His heart when out to the young man.

The man made his way back to the hospital lot, waiting by the employee lot for Tammy, the secretary to make her way out. He feared she had already left, as it was well after shift change, which she in fact she already had. Once again, he was in luck however, because as he waited Mike, the security guard dropped her back off to her car in the employee lot after their drink. His luck went even further than that. As he sat behind the tinted glass of his car, he heard every bit of the exchange between Tammy and the man she was with. "So Mike", she asked. "What did become of the video of that man I saw", she asked. "Well, frankly I think you have something there. He certainly acted suspicious, but Mr. Toberson, the administrator on call refused to let me make a hospital-to-hospital announcement of a possible abduction attempt. If you see him again, let me know. However, do not say anything to any of the other staff. Mr. Toberson will have my job if it gets out I said anything to anyone. I am only to let the other security officers know to report it to me if they see anyone of his description", Mike replied, the alcohol having made his tongue loose. Almost the minute he said it he had wished he had not. Tammy was loose lipped. He just wished she would be as loose in other ways. Moving in towards her, he moved in and kissed her. She kissed back, laughing when finished. "My place or yours", she giggled, shaking her car keys. "Mine is closer", he said, forgetting that it was a total pigsty. No Face man decided for now he would let the secretary live. To kill her might cause unnecessary risk of exposure. For now, he would wait. He watched as they drove off. He would have liked to follow, but feared he would not be back in time to see Grissim return with the woman.

The recital went well, Daniel and Katrina, excited to have Gill there, had focused on performing every step and every line correctly. He smiled with pride. Rebecca and Gill went to gather the kids after the show. "You did wonderfully", Rebecca beamed. Grissim was glad to see her smile. It had been some time since he had seen her happy. "How about Pizza Hut pizza", Grissim said as the kids got into his SUV. "Yea", the kids called. "Then can we see your bug collection", Daniel asked. "Of course", Grissim replied. He had allowed the kids to look at his collection since they were very tiny. He had taught them to look carefully and respectfully. They were fascinated by the collection. He had started each their own collection as well. These he taught them to handle properly and how to label. Their bugs fascinated them. "Aren't you tired"? Rebecca asked with concern. She knew Gill had been extremely busy the past week with the kidnapping case, and it showed. "Yea, but I couldn't sleep if I tried. Besides we have not talked in awhile", he added.

"I had better take me own car", Rebecca said. "Can we ride with Uncle Gill for pizza", the kids asked. "Sure, if it is OK with him", she replied. No Face Man watched as Grissim's SUV pulled into the hospital parking lot. He watched as Grissim let the woman out of the vehicle, waiting until she got safely into her car and was pulling out behind his vehicle. Rebecca followed Grissim to Pizza Hut and No Face Man followed Rebecca.

The kids chatted happily about their day. Grissim listened attentively. Rebecca watched. After eating their pizza, the kids however grew restless. An arcade room was just to the right of their table. Grissim pulled out a stack of quarters and let the kids go into the arcade.

With the kids occupied at the arcade, Gill and Rebecca had a chance to talk. "So how is the case going", Rebecca asked. Although she was into saving lives, she found his work fascinating. She had particular interest in the case, because the physician, Dr. Theresa Taborsky had been a colleague of Rebecca's. She had often referred gynecological patients to her or one of her partners. She had not known Green, but she had know his father who was also a physician. She knew his son's death had hit hard. Grissim sighed. "I probably should be working on it now, but I realize that if I do not step away briefly, the pieces of the puzzle will all blur and I will get nowhere." Rebecca nodded. He often mentioned that it was only when he broke away temporarily, let his mind rest from the case, that the solution came suddenly clear. "The news is saying that he abducted them because they were doctors. What is the deal there, or can you talk about it", she asked. "We really do not know what is driving this guy", Grissim responded. "He has indicated that she and Green must pay for something. We are assuming it has to do with both of them being physicians, but we do not really know motive. Until he tells us more, leaves us a clue, or abducts someone else so we can find more of trend we just are not sure. Some of the evidence is suggesting something related to cancer", he added, keeping his voice low. He ordinarily would not share such information with anyone else, but knew he could trust Rebecca to keep quiet. Rebecca nodded. Besides what he was sharing with her, the media had already speculated about so much it was essentially fact by now to most people. "Right now we are working on going over Taborsky's and Green's charts, looking for a commonality", he admitted. "It is like searching for a needle in a haystack", he added. "I imagine. Oncologists frequently refer their patients to have the visible part of the tumor removed before starting chemotherapy. Theresa most often referred her patients to Green and vice versa", she replied. "We have noticed that", Grissim said the frustration evident in his voice. "If anyone can solve this you and your team can", Rebecca said. "I don't know, right now there are two people dead because we couldn't solve this. I do not want to see the count go up any more", Grissim whispered. Rebecca nodded in understanding.

"So how have you been doing", Grissim changed the subject, not wanting to really discuss the case. It only added to his frustration and guilt that they had not found Theresa Taborsky before she had died. Rebecca sighed, reading his mind. She placed a hand over his. "You can't save them all Gill", He only nodded. "I am doing fine. Better", Rebecca answered. "I have made a decision. At least I think I have. I guess I am still not 100 sure. I am thinking about changing practices. Bill Connley"s groups asked me to join them. They are a bigger group. It would mean fewer nights of call and more time with the kids uninterrupted. I could also work only three days a week or four at the most, which would be nice. Since Dan died it is just so hard to shuffle this demanding of a career and find time for the kids", she admitted. "But you love your practice", Grissim countered. "You like being able to delivery your own patients most of the time", he argued. "Are you sure you want to change that", he asked softly. Rebecca shook her head, "No not 100 percent, but something needs to change. Look at tonight Gill." Grissim replied, "you know I will be here to help with the kids any way I can", Rebecca sighed. "I know, you have been great this past year since Danny died. Nevertheless, you have a life too. You can not put it on hold or sacrifice happiness for me", she said shaking her head. "How am I giving up my happiness", Grissim asked confused. "Sarah. Damn it Gill, you knew you and Sarah are meant to be together. Why have you not gone where she is a drug her back here? Or why have you not gone there to be with her? If you wait until I get things together, it might be too late. I will be fine. This is hard and I know it sounds corny. You grow up together and fight consistently, over who gets to play with the new bug catcher, or microscope, or when you are older over who gets the bathroom first in the morning. However, you always knew, that deep in your heart, you always love your brother or sister. You do whatever you can for each other. Anyway, at the risk of sounding corney I love you and I know you love me. However, I will not allow my only brother to give up his happiness for my benefit. Go to Sara Gill. Work it out with her". She begged. Grissim looked up at his sister with surprise. "You think the reason I have had problems with Sara is because of you", he asked. Rebecca shook her head. "Yes, I think the reason you haven't gone after her is because you do not want to leave me. Otherwise you would have followed her, gone to her", she insisted. It was Grissim's turn to touch his sister's hand. "Becky", he said, reverting to what he had called her as a little girl, "I have not gone running after Sara because that is not what she needs and not what she wants. She needs time and space. Believe me, once she is no longer needing that I will go after her", he added. "She is coming next weekend actually", he said smiling. "Oh my God, Gill", Rebecca cried. "That is awesome. Oh, God I am so happy. Is she back for good", she asked. "I am not sure how things will go", Grissim admitted. "I know she has found some of the answers she is looking for, but I know some issues are still unresolved. I just have to wait and see", he added hopefully. "I know the two of you will work it out", Rebecca said. "If she has some time have her stop or call", Rebecca said. "I have missed her and the kids would love to see Aunt Sara again."

"Enough about me", Grissim said. "How are things with you, other than feeling stressed trying to keep up a busy practice? I think if you are overwhelmed you should make a change", he added. He was concerned about Rebecca. She looked tired and run down, much as he felt. When Dan had died, she had experienced severe depression. She had also blamed herself. She had been pregnant at the time. She was experiencing the constant fatigue and nausea that so often accompanied the first trimester. Rebecca had not been able to keep anything down all day, but in the evening, she had decided she wanted to try some ice cream. Unfortunately, they had been out of ice cream. Dan had offered to go to the store to purchase it. Rebecca, who at first had discouraged it, finally caved and took him up on the offer. Dan did not return. He never made it to the store. A truck driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and swerved over into Dan's lane. Dan tried to avoid the truck, instead ending up in the ditch. The car rolled end to end several times. Rebecca initially had blamed herself, thus worsening the depression that ensured after Dan's death. It had gotten so bad that she had to check into a hospital for treatment for a week. Grissim had played a big part in her recovering from the guilt. He had finally reminded her that she was not God. "When it is your time to go, it is your time", he had reminded her. "You didn't send him out in a storm and deliberately put him in harms way. Maybe it was just his time. If he had not gotten in the accident, maybe it would have been some other sort of accident or illness. ", He had asked. " No more guilt", he had ordered firmly. It was with that encouragement that Rebecca forgave herself for Dan's death. The stress however, had cost her the pregnancy. The antidepressants had helped, as had time. However, he still worried. "You look tired", he questioned. Rebecca was quiet. Grissim knew something was wrong. "Talk to me", he demanded. "Boy I can't hid anything from you. I lost a new mother this week. She experienced an amniotic fluid splash and then went into DIC. She had just gotten her epidural placed, so when her blood pressure dropped and she had some complaints of shortness of breath, we believed it was her epidural. In fact, she responded to ephedrine to treat her pressure and anesthesia turned down the epidural rate and the shortness of breath resolved. The signs of the amniotic fluid splash were so vague that it never crossed anyone's minds, at least not until after delivery and she started bleeding. We drew labs and determined DIC. That was when the possibility of a fluid splash crossed our minds. Anyway, the syndrome cascaded and no matter how hard we fought, she just kept using up her clotting factors. I did a hysterectomy to try to control the bleeding, but by then, she was bleeding out every possible site as well. It was a down hill battle from there", she sighed, dropping her head. "Are you concerned about a malpractice suit", Grissim asked aware that litigation was always a concern for physicians. "No, the risk management team looked over the entire chart and determined that since the symptoms of the fluid splash occurred immediately after the epidural placement and were so vague they did not believe a malpractice suit would go far. That is not the point. If I had only done labs when she had those subtle symptoms", Rebecca replied, still obviously bothered by the loss. "I just still feel like I should have been able to do something different", she confessed fighting tears. "Becky", Grissam said, touching her hand, "if you did the very best you could do, that is all anyone can ask. You can not blame yourself." "I can tell myself that in my head, but my heart doesn't want to listen", she said smiling weakly. "You need to have your heart listen to your head then", Gill advised. "All one can do is their best. If you did all you knew you could do, sought all the possible help you could ask for and the outcome was still the woman's death, then you need to realize it was not your fault. No one wins them all. You said yourself the symptoms were vague and obviously similar to those of problems with the epidural. It appears that problems with the epidural are far more common than a fluid splash", he questioned. "Yes, amniotic fluid embolisms are rare, a splash is even rarer. Both put the woman at risk for other problems, such as the DIC however", she answered quietly. "Then I would say that you made a reasonable judgment call", Grissim replied. Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a call from the arcade room.

"Mommy", Katrina called out from the arcade room. The arcade room also had a television. Rebecca looked up and noted that the station was currently turned to the news. The broadcaster was discussing the Taborsky and Green homicides, and a photograph of the woman and man covered the screen. The kids had met Theresa at daycare several times when their mother and the other woman had conversed. As Rebecca and Gill entered the arcade, the announcer was discussing that the investigators suspected that other doctors were at risk, as the suspect had indicated their would be other abductions. The children were intelligent kids and had absorbed the entire newscast. Because they had lost their father just over a year ago in a tragic motor vehicle accident, they had a fear of loosing their mother as well. Intelligent children that they were they had both put the fact that someone was taking doctors and killing them and their mother was a doctor. Katrina's eyes were big. "There is a bad man out there coming to get you", she exclaimed. "Shit", Rebecca muttered under her breath. She had struggled to keep the kids unaware of the news reports on abduction of the woman physician they had had met a few times. She was afraid they would react just this way. She knew she probably should have discussed it with them before this but had instead taken the easy way out. Now she had to do damage control. "Listen kids", she said kneeling down on the floor next to them. She watched Gill do the same. "There is someone out there who did take Dr. Taborsky. But the police are working on finding the person who did it. When they do, they will lock him away. Then he will not hurt anyone else", she explained. "You mean like Uncle Gill", Paige asked. She had the general understanding that her Uncle Gill helped put bad people in jail. "Yea like Uncle Gill", Rebecca answered smoothing out the child hair. "Uncle Gill will get the bad guy", Daniel exclaimed. Katrina ran hugging Gill tightly.

"It is late and way past your bedtime and we had better get you two home and in the bath", Rebecca said ruffling the kid's hair. "We had better call it a night Gill, she said.

No Face man, entering the restaurant after Grissim, Rebecca, and the children, requested a table from the waiter just behind Grissim and Rebecca's but in such an area that they would not see him. He told the waiter he wanted that booth because he liked the sunshine and it had a window close by. She nodded; glad to be done, at least for the moment with the man. His face was strange and hard to look at. From his vantage point, he could not see Grissim, but he could hear every work the two spoke. Because he had spoke with a whisper to the waiter, as he generally did, Grissim and Rebecca, engrossed in their conversation did not even heart him, so were unaware that he was in the stall next to theirs.

So she is your sister, No Face Man thought as he listened to Rebecca and Grissim talk. He perked up when he heard Rebecca discuss the patient who died. She too was evil, he decided. He had been planning to abduct someone close to Dr. Grissim to make him pay for his words. This woman was not only a doctor, but had let an innocent woman die. She deserved to die not only because she someone special to Dr. Grissim of the Vegas crime lab, but to provide justice for that poor woman.

He watched as Grissim helped Rebecca get the kids car seats back into her Prius. "Get some sleep", she directed looking with concern into her brother's eyes. "You look like you need it", she said. "Yea", Grissim said nodding. Grissim pulled out first, watching Rebecca follow. Neither noticed the vehicle that pulled out behind Rebeccca. No Face Man kept a safe distance away. He watched as Rebecca pulled up to her home, pulling into the garage as the door opened. He watched the door go shut behind her. Now he knew where she lived. Tomorrow, in the daylight he would check the place out. He would see if the house had a security system. If it did, he would have to see if it could be disabled easily. If not, he would have to seek her out somewhere else. No worries, he had time. Grissim and his team had no clue who he was. By the time they did, he would have made Grissim pay. He would follow her tomorrow, he decided, turning on the car ignition and leaving. Once he got home, he fell into bed and the No Face Man slept soundly.

To Be Continued


	3. Chapter 3

Episode 3

Episode 3

Rebecca arose the next day starting her day with a run on the treadmill followed by a long shower. She wrapped her hair in a towel and threw on a robe. She would let the children sleep awhile longer since it was her day off. They had to get up early every other day. She began breakfast knowing they would not sleep much longer, while it was cooking, she ran in to dry and style her hair. She ran out and checked on the quiche, observing it needed a few more minutes. She returned to the bathroom and put on the little makeup she wore routinely.

The kids awoke as she expected. The loved quiche and chattered all through breakfast. "Can we play outside Mommy", Katrina asked. They had a sandbox and play ground set outside. "OK, go get the sunscreen", Rebecca smiled. After she slathered sunscreen on both kids, she went out to the back yard with them. Dan had insisted on the huge back yard, a definite luxury in Vegas. He had wanted the kids to have a big yard to romp in. It saddened her that he was not here to enjoy it with them.

The price of the large yard was seclusion. She had enjoyed the seclusion when Dan was alive. Now that he was gone, she found she liked it less. She had considered selling the house and moving in closer to the city proper. However, Gill had encouraged her not to make any major decisions for at least two years and the house fell into that category. Unfortunately, it was filled with memories. Leaving those memories would be hard, even though they were sometimes painful.

While the children played, Rebecca painted. Dan had built in an easel for her use. The yard was fenced and so she could focus on her work. Hearing the children in the background, she knew they were safe. It was almost lunchtime when she heard Katrina talking. Daniel was playing "truck", making cute truck noises in the sandbox. She glanced up and did not see Katrina playing next to him in the sandbox, therefore it did not seem that Daniel was whom Katrina was talking to. "Katrina", she called looking about for the child. Once she visualized her daughter, she saw the child's lips moving and calling out to someone. "Katrina", Rebecca said making her way through the yard and quickly over to the child. "He left Mommy", Katrina said. "Who left", Rebecca asked. "The man with No Face", Katrina said. "You always said to be nice to someone if they were different. He had a def, a def, you know something wrong with his face", she said. "A deformity", Rebecca asked. "Yea. Like it looked like he had no face. Or like it was missing some of its parts. But I didn't stare or was not mean Mommy", she said wide-eyed. Rebecca sighed, her heart thudding. She looked out over the grass outside the fence. She could see footprints embedded in the soil beside the fence. "I also have told you not to talk to strangers", she replied anxiously. "But Mom, I did good not staring", Katrina argued. "Katrina, we are going to go in and have lunch, then you will go to your room and think about the safety rules", Rebecca sighed. She was going light on the child, but honestly was proud that the child had not stared or acted repulsed. Rather the child had tried to talk with him. Rebecca wondered why the man had been there. Maybe he just wanted to watch the kids, but there were parks with lots of children to watch. An involuntary shiver raced up her spine.

Katrina pouted as she ate her lunch. Rebecca watched as she picked at her food. Sighing Rebecca sat down next to the child, "Katrina I am not mad at you. I am only making you go to your room so you remember the rule about strangers next time. Do you understand that", she asked. Katrina nodded silently. She had been counting on playing outside in the yard all day. She loved their swing set and sand box. She relished the day off with her mother. Rebecca's heart melted. "Tell you what. You go to your room for 30 minutes, then we can go outside to the sandbox and talk about it again, then just focus on having fun. OK", she asked. "Yes", Katrina replied perking up slightly. A half hour was a long time to the little girl, but it was better than the entire afternoon. She finished eating her lunch, excusing herself so she could get her punishment over with. The half hour went by quickly. Soon Katrina, Daniel, and Rebecca were outside by the sandbox. Rebecca took the opportunity to discuss strangers with both kids. "You do not know who that man was", she explained. "Sometimes people in this world like to hurt other people. You cannot know, especially as a child. What I am trying to explain is that I do not want you talking to strangers because they might hurt you", she said. Both kids nodded. "Sorry Mommy", Katrina replied. "Katrina, tell me a little more about the man that talked to you", Rebecca asked. "He was just watching us play for awhile. I went to chase the ball Danny kicked over by the fence, and he was there under the tree, in the shade", Katrina replied. "You said he looked disfigured. You said something was wrong with his face", Rebecca asked. "You couldn't tell until you got up close", Katrina explained. "When you got close was when he looked scary. It was like a Halloween mask. Part of his face was missing", Katrina asked. "Missing", Rebecca asked. "Yea, bumped in in places it should have bumped out", she said. Rebecca frowned, confused. What is this child talking about? "Is he someone who will come hurt us", Katrina asked quietly. Rebecca did not want to scare the child. He was probably some harmless person. Perhaps with a deformity. "No, I am sure he was just enjoying a walk outside", she said smiling. "But, we do not talk to strangers ever", she added. "Yes Mom", both kids agreed.

The day ended all too quickly, solidifying the decision Rebecca had made to switch practice groups to cut down her workload. It was one thing before the accident, when Dan had been there. Then they could tag team the kids and household duties. Now it was just her alone. She wanted to be there for the kids. They had all been through so much in the past year. If only she had not sent Dan out that night. If not for her, he would be here. "Stop it", she chastised herself. She had been so overwhelmed by grief and guilt after the accident she had hardly been able to function. Pushing such negative thoughts behind, she got both kids bathed and ready for bed. After a bed times story she tucked each in beneath the covers smiling. At one point, she had felt she had nothing to live for. Looking at the children, she knew she had everything.

Looking at the kids one last time she found they were both sound asleep. Smiling she closed their doors, so later the television would not bother them. She thought about Katrina and the stranger she talked to today. She had spoken with both kids numerous times about strangers. "I was probably too easy on Katrina", she thought. Before Dan died, they would discuss parenting issues like this together, plan how to handle things the next time. Now she would often ask her brother. Despite the fact he had no children of his own, he offered calm, if somewhat philosophical advice. Gill had his own issues now, she thought guiltily. However, she really needed to talk about Katrina today, run her response to the child today with someone. None of her partners had children. It was too late to call most of her friends. Besides there was no one whose advice she relished more. After a few more moments debate she called his number.

Grissim was at work, his shift having just started. He was tired, burning the midnight oil shift after shift to try to resolve this case before they had another victim as the perp had promised. "Grissim", he said into the phone, distracted by the patient charts in front of him. He was still looking for a tie between the two doctors, and someone with a potential grievance with both. "Hey, you got a minute", Rebecca asked. "For you always", he replied taking off his glasses. "I need some parenting advice. I think I might be too much of a softie", she confessed. "Probably", Grissim laughed. "No seriously Gill", Rebecca replied. "OK, what happened", Grissim asked. "Well, despite all the talks I have had with Katrina about talking to strangers, Katrina made conversation with some strange man over the fence today", Rebecca said with a sigh. "So what did you do", Grissim asked. "Well I initially grounded her to her room all afternoon, but weakened when I remembered how much she was looking forward to playing outside and spending a day with her mom", she admitted. "Did you discuss with her why she shouldn't talk to strangers", he asked. "Yea, and the guy was probably harmless", Rebecca added. "I was very proud of her on one point", she added. "Why was that", Grissim asked smiling. Rebecca always found the positive in any situation. "Well, apparently the guy had some wrong with his face, I don't know, bad acne or something, but Katrina did not react to that, she still tried to talk to him", she added. "Well you have taught her to be accepting of others", Gill replied. "I think you did alright. She will remember next time. Fortunately most strangers are harmless", he added. "That gives parents an opportunity or two to teach the kids to stay away from them", he said. "Yea, thanks. I feel better. How is the case going", she asked. "Same", he said the frustration evident. "Listen I better let you get back to work", she said. "Yea, I had better", he answered hanging up.

As she got herself ready for the shower, she heard Dog, the kids Golden Retriever whine. "Hey boy, you need out", she questioned. Dog ran to the door. "OK, hang on", she laughed letting him outside. Dog had been Gills idea. He had felt the kids would benefit from owning a dog, and felt it would be protection. As if the security system was not adequate, she thought. He had bought Dog for the kids for Christmas last year. At first, she had refused to name the creature, of the opinion that his stay at the house would be short. The kids were not old enough to care for a dog, she had argued with Gill. The kids had begged to keep him however, and she had finally relented on one condition. They had to feed and water him as well as take him out and play with him daily. To her surprise, they had held up their end of the bargain. Dog had stayed, but by the time she realized the situation was permanent, no other name had fit. He was just Dog. The other thing Gill had insisted on was a security system. However, she preferred Dog to any security system. He made both the children and Rebecca feel safe. Once in awhile he took off barking at some critter in the dark, causing concern over nothing. Never the less, she knew that if there was every anyone out there, Dog would be sure to announce their presence.

No Face Man had watched Rebecca's house most of the morning, until he saw that she was coming outside with the children. Slipping further into the shade of the tree, he watched the children laugh and play ball. Rebecca watched painting. "Painting, when you should be doing your job", he thought angrily. It was when he was distracted watching Rebecca that the little girl came running over to the edge of the fence to get the ball her brother had kicked past her. He did not have time hid behind the tree. The little girl had looked up at him startled. "Hi", she had finally said. He had not responded. "Its OK. Are you here to talk to my Mommy", she asked in innocence. He marveled at her reaction to him. Children usually turned away either uncomfortable or in fear. This little girl held her ground and addressed him like any normal appearing person. Noting that Rebecca had heard the child's questions, he turned and quickly walked away.

After he knew he was far enough away to avoid detection, he climbed a tree and watched the family from a distance. Tonight he would see if he could get into the house. It would be fun to take her in her home, as he had Green. Doctor Grissim would appreciate the messages he would so carefully leave behind!

The family came back out later. No Face Man was getting hungry. However, he enjoyed watching his victims. Later, when they went inside to eat their evening meal, he would go eat himself. Then he would come back. Maybe he would take her tonight. The children might get in the way however. That would be difficult, he did not want to harm them. However, if it was necessary he thought he could.

After he saw the three go inside for the day, he climbed out of the tree and found a local drive thru to find something to eat. At one time he enjoyed nice places to eat. However, more often than not, eating in such places caused such a scene. The well to do took offense to his appearance. Drives thru places were safer. No one really looked at you as they passed the food to you through the window.

After eating his meal, he watched the sunset. Soon he would return to the woman's house. Maybe he could get in tonight, he thought excitedly. Wiping his mouth and throwing the bag on the floor with the rest, he turned the key in the ignition. As he drove back to the house, he fantasized about how he would torture the woman, and in the process torture his new enemy, Dr. Gill Grissim. He parked a couple of blocks away from the house. It was secluded and a vehicle near it might raise suspicions. He parked walking to the house. A light still burned in one bedroom upstairs and in the living room downstairs. Good, he thought. If the kids were asleep, he could get the woman and be gone without them even waking up. He glanced around, making certain that there was no one watching, and checked briefly for video cameras. He doubted any home security system would have video cameras, but you never know. A lone woman out here by herself might. Finding no cameras, he slipped to the side of the house; making is way to the back. He came to the first window, peering in. She had left the television on, so he assumed she would be returning to the downstairs to relax before the TV before bed. He smiled in anticipation. He gradually made is way to the back yard, carefully walking around a plastic sand bucket the kids had left in the way. Suddenly he heard a low growl. Turning he saw a Dog, standing at attention, the growl intensifying. "Shit", he thought standing still. The dog remained standing at attention, now barking rather than growling. No Face Man began to back away. The dog, previously immobile began to advance, barking more loudly than before. The barks were interrupted by an occasional low throaty growl. No Face man glanced at the ground. He saw the metal bucket lying on the ground. He picked it up, throwing it in the direction of the dog. He heard a startled yelp. Taking advantage of what he knew was probably a temporary disablement; he leaped toward the fence, quickly shutting the gate back behind him. As he expected the dog rushed the fence, leaping and barking loudly at the fence.

Katrina heard the dogs barking, followed by the loud yelp. It awakened her from sleep. Her bedroom was in front of the house. She jumped up and glanced out the window observing a flicker of movement. She heard the dog barking more loudly yet. Frightened she called for her mother.

Rebecca was soaking in a hot bath, relaxing for one last moment before the busy day ahead of her tomorrow. She had a full day at the office and call during the evening. She picked up the razor and began to shave her legs. "Mommy", she heard Katrina scream. Rebecca did not even feel the razor nick her leg. The child's cries sounded hysterical. Rebecca leapt out of the tub, grabbing her robe and rushed into Katrina's room.

"Kat, what is wrong", she asked. It was then she heard the dog barking. "Mommy Dog is barking and I heard him yelp like when he is hurt, and I saw someone outside", Katrina said wide eyed. It was only then that Rebecca noticed the dog barking. "Oh honey it is probably nothing", she relied. "But I saw something", the child insisted.

Rebecca smiled nervously. "You stay right here. I will go see what is up with Dog", she replied stroking the child's hair. Katrina nodded. Grabbing a baseball bat Rebecca slowly and quietly went down the stairs. The dog was still raising a major disturbance. Rebecca made her way into the living room, pulling the curtain back to look out the front window. She could see no one. She slowly worked her way back toward the kitchen and back door. She heard Dog scratching at the door barking loudly. Peeking out the window, she again saw nothing amiss. She slowly opened the door, the dog leaping in. "What's all the commotion", she asked touching the dogs head. Usually when Dog was carried away barking at some creature of the night, it stopped the minute he was inside, no longer feeling the need to defend his place in the household. This time however, the dog kept growling a low growl, tearing off into the living room. Despite the fact he was not allowed on the couch, he jumped up pushing the curtain away with his head. "Dog", Rebecca said nervously as he sat watching the window a low growl in his throat slowly subsiding. Rebecca peered out the front window again, not seeing anything. That was when she noticed the dog was limping slightly. . "Hey what did you do boy", she asked. Taking the bat with her, she made her way back into the kitchen. She turned on the porch light, looking outside. She again could see nothing. Stepping outside, she noticed that the sand bucket Katrina had left in the yard seemed closer to the porch. "Good lord Rebecca", she said to herself. "You probably just do not remember where she left it." Still, an uneasy chill ran down her spine. Something had injured Dog. She jumped as she heard a banging noise outside. Now truly frightened, she ran back in the house, relocking the back door and making certain the front door was locked as well. She stopped by the garage door, resetting the security system she had disabled when she let the dog outside before her bath. She looked down at the kitchen floor and noted droplets of what appeared to be blood. Now truly panicked, she quickly hit the panic button on the security pad and called out to the dog. "Dog come", she cried grabbing the bat. Although the animal desired to stay right where he was, in his mind defending from an intruder, he minded his mistress following her quickly up the stairs. The security alarm blared through out the house. Rebecca grabbed Katrina and ran into Daniel's room. The boy was sitting up in bed, disoriented from sleep, and frightened by the alarm. "It's OK", Rebecca whispered to the children. "Just stay very quiet now", she directed as she took the chair from Daniel's desk to prop in under the doorknob. It was hopelessly small to accomplish the task. Rebecca's eyes darted around the room, finally settling on the desk itself. It was heavy and oak. She struggled to move it in front of the door. Panting with effort, she finally accomplished the task. Meanwhile, the phone rang. "This is ADT, the panic alarm was detected. We want you to be aware a squad car is in route to your residence", a male voice informed her. "Thank you", Rebecca replied. "My name is David. Is everything all right at the moment", he asked. "Yes, it is just the dog went crazy barking at something outside. Something injured his paw and my daughter thought she saw someone outside", Rebecca answered. "OK. I will stay on the line with you until the police arrive. They will let me know when they are there", he directed. "OK", Rebecca answered, relieved to hear another human voice. The kids sat wide-eyed but quiet. Rebecca could hear the sirens of the police car entering her drive. "It sounds like they are here", she said. "Yes, I can confirm that the Las Vegas PD has just pulled up in front of your home. You can let them in", he directed. Rebecca heard a pounding at the door. "Wait for Mommy here", she directed, moving the desk from in front of the door enough to squeeze out the door. Rebecca quickly made her way down the stairs to the front door. She peered out the peephole, seeing two police officers at the door. Rebecca unlocked the door and slid the dead bolt aside opening the door. "Ms", the younger officer asked. "Yes, please come in", Rebecca said her voice shaking.

Office Patterson and Officer Winkle were in the middle of their meal break when a call came to respond to a panic alarm from a home security system. "Shit", Winkle replied, eyeing the greasy hamburger in front of him. He was a year away from retirement and his attitude showed it. Patterson quickly grabbed up his hamburger, wrapping it in a napkin. Winkle did the same only moving slower. "Stupid home security systems. Kid I tell you, you will learn. Those things have the tendency to false alarm all the time", he grumbled. "But this said the homeowner hit the panic button", Patterson replied. "Yea and they or the damn kids hit it accidentally all the time too", Winkle said. Patterson was still a rookie. In Winkle's eyes, he was naïve. Patterson grew anxious as Winkle took his time collecting his meal. "Chill kid", Winkle said. "Going to be cold when we do get to eat it", he grumbled.

"I am officer Winkle and this is Officer Patterson", Winkle said. "Thank you for coming", Rebecca replied eyeing their badges. Already she was feeling more comfortable. "Just a minute, my kids are upstairs", she added. She quickly ran upstairs leading both children downstairs. She wanted them in her sight. Patterson looked at the floor. "Hey there is blood all over the carpet", he said.

"What happened Ms", Officer Patterson began. "Hensley", Rebecca replied. "My name is Rebecca Hensley", she added. "I let the dog out and went to shower. Then I heard him yelping, and barking like crazy. When I let him in he went right to the window and started barking and growling", she explained. "My daughter was awakened by the dog. She looked out the window and saw someone running away from the house", she explained. "How did the blood get all over the carpet", Patterson asked. "The dog, something injured his paw", she explained. "Where is the dog Miss", Patterson asked. "Let me call him, maybe that is why he was yelping", Rebecca replied. "Dog, come", she directed. "Dog", Patterson asked. "Yea, long story", Rebecca replied, hearing the animal walking down the stairs. He lacked his usual bounce in his step and as he descended the stairs, she could see why. He was limping on his right front paw, where the kidnapper had thrown the metal bucket at him. "Oh, come here boy", Rebecca knelt as the dog approached. Rebecca carefully lifted his paw in her hand. Dog whined. "Sorry boy", Rebecca said softly. "Look, something has cut his paw and lower leg. It is swollen", she replied. "Probably why he was yelping", Winkle replied. "I bet he got in some sort of fight, huh dog", he added. The animal's paw was still seeping blood and was obviously the source of the blood on the carpet. "Was this the child who saw someone", Winkle asked the speculation in his voice evident. "Yes", Rebecca replied. "She saw someone earlier today too. A stranger. He was under the trees in back, just outside the fence. Katrina thought he was watching them. When she talked to him he left very quickly", Rebecca explained. "Doesn't the area walking trail run behind your property", Winkle asked. "Well yes', she replied. " Is it possible the stranger your little girl saw earlier today was just someone who had wandered off the trail? It is beautiful back there", he added. Rebecca nodded. She had not thought about that. She was beginning to feel very silly. Patterson was annoyed at his older partner. He was obviously making this woman feel foolish for calling for help. "We will take a good look around and see what we can find", he added. Winkle shot him a dirty look. His hamburger was getting cold, and he was starving. Not giving his partner a chance to answer Patterson walked out the door, flipping his flashlight on. Winkle knew the back yard was probably quite big. He could skim the area quickly, clear the scene, and get the hell out of here. Patterson would spend forever checking out the back. "I've got the back", he directed hastily, flipping on his flashlight. Patterson nodded and made his way to the front.

Winkle roamed around the back yard awhile, flashing the light across the grass. Thinking about his hamburger waiting in the car, he made his way over to the treed area he suspected Rebecca was talking about. He quickly flashed his lights over the area. He did see a few footprints, but like he had told the woman, there was a walking trail a few feet away. The man she saw today most likely was someone who had been walking on the trial and merely wanted to check out the area. He did not see any obvious sign of any intruder in the back. The fence was locked. "Great, we are outta here soon", he whispered to himself. He checked the gate, which was closed. If the dog had been chasing after someone, they had either leaped the gate or left via the fence. He did not envision anyone closing the gate behind him with the dog running after him.

Winkle nearly ran into Patterson coming back out of the gate to enter the front yard. "I can see some footprints", Patterson said. "I am sure you do", Winkle said frustrated. "Look, the mail man probably cuts across the yard. The meter reader probably cut across the yard. Heck, the homeowner herself probably even cut through the yard today. That does not mean anyone was here. She is obviously alone female, living out here alone. It is a little secluded. She got spooked. It happens", he explained. "But the dog", Patterson asked. "The dog got in a fight with some critter", Patterson explained. "Now our job tonight is reassure this panicked woman that no one was here", "But what if we are wrong", Patterson asked. "Well, I can tell you I saw nothing back there and that would have been where he spent most of his time, wouldn't you say", he asked. Patterson nodded in resignation. Winkle was the senior partner. If he says everything checked out in back, then it had and everything was probably OK.

The two officers made their way to the back to the house. Rebecca sat cuddled with the kids, the television turned to the cartoon channel. "Ms. Hensley we took a good look around outside and did not see anything suspicious", Officer Winkle said casting a glance at Patterson, cautioning him not to contradict him. "We did not see anything suspicious. Are you sure your little girl saw something", he asked. "Tonight you mean? That I am not sure. I did not see anyone. But this afternoon I saw the man too, but only from a distance", she replied. "Well you know there is a walking trail behind your house. Someone could have just strayed a bit off the trail, you know, to check out the scenery. Your pouch here would have gotten into it with a critter. We didn't see anything of concern though", he said reassuringly. Rebecca already felt foolish, feeling she had overreacted. Usually she was not one to overreact. "Your dog have his rabies shots", Winkle asked. "Yea, his vaccinations are up to date", Rebecca, replied. "But I might need to take him to the vet with that wound", she said glancing at it again. Dog lay on the floor, gently licking the wound. Paterson glanced around the room, walking over to look at family photos that Rebecca had displayed. He saw a familiar face, Gil Grissim of the crime lab. He had responded to Patterson's first homicide. "Do you know Gill Grissim", he asked, thinking perhaps Winkle would be more attentive to the call if he were aware. "Yes, he is my brother", Rebecca replied. "Great guy", Patterson replied. "Would you like us to call him for you", he asked. Rebecca thought a moment. Gill was so swamped with the case he was working on. He would worry if he knew she had even a suspicion that someone had been fooling around the house. "No, no that is not necessary. He is busy with a case right now I believe. There is not need. I think I was just over reacting. I do not know why I did. I am sorry officers", she said standing.

"No problem Ms.", Winkle said moving toward the door. If he were lucky, his hamburger would still be slightly warm. Patterson, uneasy that they perhaps had missed something was less anxious to leave. Winkle cast him a warning glance. "You give us a call anytime Ms. Hensley. We will drive past the house a few times tonight too", he promised. Rebecca liked the younger officer. "Thank you, that would make me feel better", she admitted. Patterson smiled and nodded, following Winkle to the door. He noticed that after Rebecca let them out the door, she locked both locks immediately. He also could hear the beeps of her activating the security system. He was relieved that at least she had the security system should something else happen.

"You two stay there", she directed the kids. She went from room to room to check all the doors and windows, making sure each was locked and secure. She started to turn off the light, but at the last minute, she left it on. If she heard something she did not want to have to come down to investigate in the dark. Besides, the light might deter anyone who might be trying to get in. She chastised herself, realizing that the officers were probably right. Someone had just wandered off the trail and was exploring earlier in the day. Katrina's comments regarding his face probably just reflected a bad case of acne or something, or perhaps scaring from a burn. Katrina had been frightened earlier in the day because of the man she saw, and her imagination probably kicked in big time. Still, she thought, it did not hurt to take a few extra precautions, if only for her own peace of mind. Returning to the living room, she led the children up to their rooms. After a little effort, she got the kids back to bed. She looked at the tub, still full of water. She was tense and needed to relax. She drained the cool water, and refilled the tub. She settled into the tub, closing her eyes sinking into the water. She finally relaxed enough to get to sleep around 1:00 A.M.

Grissim entered the morgue, greeting Doc. Robbins. "What do you have for me", he asked. "Another very brutalized tortured body", Robbins answered. Grissim nodded. "This victim, like Theresa Taborsky, had multiple chemical burns over the entire body, but especially one the face. There are multiple wounds that appear to have been made by some sort of hook, confirming the videotape that showed the victim hanging from hooks embedded into his skin. Several of these injuries were grossly infected, draining purulent drainage and reddened as you can see. The lungs were filled with fluid, indicating that he was suffering from overwhelming sepsis, the source of which could have been anyone of these wounds. I suspect that was not the kidnappers plan", Doc added. "I did find traces of skin under his nails, which I sent to DNA. That is about it. Wish I had something more that might help break the case", he said. Grissim nodded, "Thanks Doc".

Grissim made his way through the lab and sat at his desk, thinking. He knew there was something that they were all missing. There was one clue, one commonality; it just had not hit them yet. His stomach churned at the thought that soon there would probably be another victim. The heat was on. The press was going wild, criticizing the crime lab and police department, labeling them as ineffective and inadequate. They did not understand that the evidence was the evidence, and until the right evidence was there, it was hard to solve the case. He felt his blood pressure rise. Closing his eyes, Grissim took a few calming breaths. It did no good to be distressed and angry, it only clouded thinking. He thought briefly about the fact that Sara would be here in two days. Eckley had guaranteed him the time off. He was torn between duty to the job and duty to family however. Family, he thought, needs to come first this time. This might be his last chance to work things out with Sara.

Brass entered clearing his throat. "Jim", Grissim sat up, taking off his classes. Brass took a seat across the desk from Grissim. "We have a mess on our hands", Brass replied. "Yea Jim, we need to come up with something, and fast", Grissim responded. "I hear Sara is coming this weekend", Brass commented. "Yea, for a week actually", Grissim asked. "So you are taking off, right?" Brass quizzed. Grissim paused, then nodded. "I know that I am needed here Jim, but I also know that there are people who can replace me. I have a well-trained team and this time they are going to have to function without me", he responded. Brass nodded, "Thank goodness you see reason". Grissim smiled. "Gill, be sure to keep Sara away from Misty", he said quietly. "What", Grissim responded astounded. He had planned on dropping by with Sarah for everyone to see. He had even considered asking them all over one evening, if the case had broken. "Why", he asked confused. "God Gill, you are so blind. First Sara spent several years trying to make you aware she had feelings for you. Jesus, I would have jumped at those obvious hints and moves. Now you are not seeing Misty making moves on you and frankly they are less subtle that Sara's ever were! Your entire team has noticed. You want things to go well right? Keep Misty away", he whispered. "Misty? What", Grissim stammered. "God Gill, several people saw the shoulder massage, the way she moves in so close when you two were going over cases together. It is so obvious", Brass said in disgust. "So why are you telling me this", Grissim asked. "Because I happen to hold a special place in my heart for Sara Sidle. She is spunky, gutsy, ready to stand up for what is right, and further more makes you happy. I do not want to see you blow it with her. You almost did, holding out on an actual relationship with her. She had more patience than most women would have", Brass said agitated. Grissim thought for a moment. Had he miss read Misty's actions, which he had interpreted as just being friendly and eager to learn? "Uh, thanks Jim", he replied, chewing his glasses.

The day was essentially uneventful. DNA results returned, indicating the skin under the fingernails matched other DNA found at other crime scenes, thus belonged to the kidnapper. The yellow liquid was Alevo cleanser. The prints matched others found at the previous crime scenes. Still nothing to lead them to a specific suspect. The tattoo parlors were coming up a dead end. Those tattoo parlors that recorded what tattoo pattern they did, either did not have that particular symbol as an option, or the person it was given too turned up a dead end. The metal shops so far had resulted in no solid leads either. The team continued to work, pouring over patient files from both offices, trying to find the connection between the two physicians. Essentially, they breathed a sigh or relief, when at the end of their shift; there was no reported abduction. Grissim assigned various tasks to the rest of the staff He would not be in for a few days to possibly a week, if Sara agreed to stay that long. Eckley met him on the way out. "Gill, I expect not to see you for at least a week", he directed. Although he expected a fight, he was surprised by the fact Grissim only nodded. "I do feel I am letting the team down, but I also know that I want to work out things in my personal life. If I do not take this time now, I might not get another chance", he replied. Eckley nodded and the two men parted. Eckley turned around after having taken only a few steps, "Grissim, good luck. Also see if you can get her to come take her old job back", he added. Grissim only nodded. Eckley never changed. Grissim turned and made his way to his SUV. Sara's flight was scheduled to arrive in a few hours. He wanted to get a few things ready.

Sara Sidle had finished her test early. She finished packing her last minute items and glanced at her watch. She had hours before her flight left and the waiting was driving her crazy. The butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach. Deciding she would see if she could get an earlier flight out, she gathered up her luggage and tossed it into her car. She would get a book at the airport if she could not arrange an earlier flight.

When she arrived at the Delta counter with her ticket the clerk smiled, "Ms. Sidle you are really early. I know we encourage early check in, but you are going to have quite a wait." Sara nodded, "I know, I was wondering if I could change my ticket for an earlier flight", she asked. The clerk frowned. Ticket changes were such a hassle. Besides, most flights to Vegas were full. "I don't know, I can check. There will be a 100 ticket change charge too", she replied discouraging the attempt to change her travel times.

"That's fine", Sara said. "I would still like you to check", she explained. She watched as the clerk typed in on the computer, searching for an earlier flight. She glanced at her watch. "Well if you hurry, there is a flight leaving in 10 minutes. It will not leave you much time to get through the security line", she cautioned. "I will take it", Sarah said breathlessly.

The clerk printed the ticket change, taking Sara's credit card to pay for the change in tickets. Five minutes of the short ten had already passed. Sara immediately regretted taking the different ticket. If she missed this flight, she had already given up her spot on the other one and might not make it that day at all. She heard her flight called overhead. "You had better hurry", the clerk taunted. Sara got to the security line watching impatiently as passengers dug into their pockets digging out coins to go through x-ray machine. Sarah realized if she did not do something, she would not make the flight. She dug into her purse pulling out her Las Vegas crime lab ID. She walked over to the security guard. "Miss you need to go to the end of the line", he ordered. Sarah flashed him her ID. "I'm with the Las Vegas Crime Lab", she replied. He looked at the identification card and at Sara. "My flight leaves in less than three minutes", she whispered. "I need to get to Vegas", she explained. The guard looked at her for several seconds and made a quick decision. "Go on ahead", he replied, escorting her past the line.

Sara ran to the gate. The staff was just beginning to close the door leading to the plane. "Hey please. I need on that plane", Sara cried breathlessly. The staff stopped a minute looking momentarily annoyed. "Please", Sara pleaded.

"OK", the staff replied, reopening the door. She reached to her walkie-talkie. "I have one late arrival coming on", she directed. Sara ran down the hall and was met by a flight attendant who quickly led her to her seat.

Sara fiddled with the in-flight magazine for a while to pass the time. She had not had time to purchase a book or magazine to pass the time and she did not want to think. There was too much to think about and frankly it made her nervous. She found herself wanting Gill with every fiber of her body, but honestly felt that sex should be placed on a back burner for this visit. After all, she wanted to see if they could get back their relationship without complicating it with the sexual aspects. How would she explain this to Gill however. What was he expecting? Would they be able to talk to each other? Would he forgive her for leaving, or would if forever ruin his trust in her? She sighed, closing the magazine in her lap. Having not slept well in the last week, these same questions running through her mind, she dozed off quickly, arousing as the plane touched down.

Gill had told her he would meet her at the airport. He would be working yet, so she decided to call a cab. She rode watching the bright lights of the city pass by her again. The last time she had taken this ride, she had been running away. It felt strange to be back.

She took the cab to Gill's townhouse. She had thought about going to the lab, but she honestly was not ready to face the rest of the gang yet. They probably had mixed emotions about how she left. Gill was their friend and she knew she had caused him pain. They might resent that. Besides he was working, probably trying to tie up loose ends, designating assigned roles in the investigation. The fact he was still taking time off, given the importance of this case, demonstrated to her that he wanted to make this relationship work too.

The cab pulled up in front of Gill's townhouse. Actually, it felt more like home than her old apartment had. She had essentially lived her once they had really gotten together. She had kept the apartment for appearances only. She paid the cab driver, who helped her out with her bag. "Thanks", she said pulling out the key. She let herself in, taking a deep breath as she looked around. Gill had not changed anything. She had made a few changes that are little more feminine when she had been here. He had kept them. She hoped that was a good sign. She went into the kitchen and made her self at home. She brewed a cup of coffee then checked with the hotel to see if her room would be ready yet. She had made reservations there just in case things did not go as she hoped her. She did not want things to be strained. Unfortunately, the room was not going to be ready until close to 6:00 P.M. She curled up on the couch and sipped her coffee, memories of Gill working their way into her mind.

She recalled their first night together. After confronting him, asking him to dinner, he had initially refused. "Sara I'm not sure what to do about this", he had replied. "I do", she had answered, and cautioning him that by the time he figured it out it would be too late. He had called her a day later, asking her to come to supper. One thing had lead to another and here they were. He was her soul mate. She only hoped that in having left to find resolution to her childhood issues, she had not lost him.

She glanced at her watch, realizing she had a long wait ahead of her. Comforted by the sense of home however, she was more relaxed than she had been before the flight. Realizing she felt grimy and stiff from travel, she opted for a hot bath. She moved her suitcase in beside the bed, making her way into the master bath. She smiled when she saw Gill still had her bubble bath on the edge of the bathtub. It was almost as if she had never been gone. She turned the tap to draw the bath, putting in a ample amount of the green tea scented bubble bath. She undressed as the tub filled, turning off the tap and slipping into the bubbles, sinking down in the water until she was submerged to her chin. She felt any tensions dissolving away and quickly dozed off.

Sara awoke unsure how long she had been asleep. The water had cooled only slightly, so she determine it had not been long. She wanted time to put on a touch of makeup and dress for supper. She did not generally wear much makeup, but wanted tonight to be special. She reached for the towel wrapping it around her.

Grissim drove home in silence, having turned off the radio. He wanted time to think and the music was a distraction. He ached to hold Sara in his arms once again, but was not sure how ready she was for a physical relationship yet. He questioned if it might better if they waited a bit, working on the emotional aspects of the relationship first. He wanted her to stay with him, even if he had to sleep on the couch. He did not want to be away from her a single moment. Again, however, he did not know how she would feel. Perhaps she would need a little time and a little distance during the stay. He admitted to himself that he was nervous as hell.

The bathroom was steamy, the mirror still slightly clouded over as Sara combed her hair. She did not even hear to door to the bathroom open. Instead, she felt the cool rush of air hit her towel wrapped body, sensing someone was in the room. She caught only a flicker of movement in the mirror, any identification of who stood behind her in the now open bathroom door impossible. Instincts took over and she turned quickly, immediately preparing for a possible assault. Gill was not due home for another hour or two at the earliest.

"Sara", Grissim said in surprise at the towel wrapped figure standing in the bathroom. He had not expected her until much later. "Gill", she replied, standing clutching at the towel wrapped around her body. Despite his previous thoughts about postponing any physical encounter until they had had a chance to spend some time together again, his mind detoured from that direction and his body responded. Sara found Gill a welcome sight, taking in every inch in disbelief. She could not believe she had been stupid enough to ever leave. Gill moved toward her, opening his arms. Sara fell into them immediately. After several minutes, she could not help but notice how very happy he was to see her. She looked up into his eyes. Despite her previous thoughts of putting any physical resumption of their relationship on hold, she found herself desiring Gill with every inch of her being. He tilted his head in toward her, his lips finding hers. The two slowly worked their way into the bedroom.

A short while later as they lay snuggled quietly, not speaking, but rather just dozing, rejoicing at being together once again. "So I suppose this means I can cancel the hotel", she finally said softly, pulling her head away to meet his eyes. "God I hope you do", Gill replied smiling his lips meeting hers once again.

They lay snuggling for sometime, when Grissim heard Sara's stomach growl loudly. "You sound hungry", Grissim laughed. "I am, I haven't eaten since breakfast", Sara replied. "Shall we get up and get dressed for supper", he asked. "I do have reservations", he said. "What time is it", Sara asked turning to face Grissim. He glanced at his watch, "It is about 5:00. We have reservations at 6:00. Can you get ready that fast", he asked. "I am so hungry I think I can", she replied. She hopped out of bed, Grissim watching her naked form head to the bathroom smiling. Work did not even cross his mind.

Sara finished in the bathroom once again stepping out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. Grissim lay on the bed, waiting for the shower. His eyes followed her form into the room. "You sure you are hungry", he asked lustfully. "Yes", she replied laughing, pulling off the towel throwing it at him. "Ok", he replied, getting up and heading into the shower.

When he finished showering, he returned to the bedroom to get his dress clothes. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the transformation. He had almost forgotten how extraordinarily beautiful Sara was when she dressed up. Although she hated high heals, she did, on occasion, put up with them. Tonight she work a simple but sexy A frame dress which hit mid thigh. High heals accentuated the shape of her long legs. Grissim once again found himself thinking about skipping supper. Sara could read his mind. "Get dressed Gill. I am starving. Moslow's hierarchy. Food is at the bottom you know", she taunted. "OK, Ok", he replied. He quickly pulled on a suit and tie and was quickly ready to go. "Just one thing before we go", he said. "What", Sara said smiling; happy to once again be with the man she loved. Grissim pulled her to him, his mouth closing over hers. "Ok, that will hold me until later", he said taking her hand leading her out the door.

Dinner was fabulous, especially with the wine. Tired from the day, Sara quickly felt a buzz occurring from the alcohol. She found herself giggling at some of the antics Grissim described having occurred in the lab in her absence. "So is Katherine still fighting with Lindsay over how much cleavage to show at the prom", she asked. "I think Katherine is winning that one", Grissim replied. Sara paused, a look of sadness temporarily clouding her face. "What is it", Grissim asked, noticing the change. "I just wish I would have had the chance to argue with my Mom over thinks like a prom dress", she said sadly. "Sara", Grissim said taking her hand across the table, at a loss for words. "Its OK. I am working these things out. I spent so long burying my feelings. That was unhealthy. It is better to face these feelings head on, no hide from them. I saw my mother", she said softly. "Yes. How did that go", Grissim asked. "Fine. She gets out on parole in a few years. I feel sorry for her. What she did was wrong, stabbing my father, but I honestly think she felt like it was the only way out. I wish she had chosen another way, but at least she sent me the message it was wrong to live that way. I was in a relationship in college once that was serious. We had a ring and everything. Then he hit me. I really loved him and it was hard, but I walked. I knew I did not want the life my mother had. He threatened me when I left, but I left", she said. "So your mother taught you a valuable lesson", Grissim replied. "Yea, I thought I would hate her", Sara explained. "Instead I understood. She could have, should have handled things differently, but I just do not think she knew how else to do it. She was in so deep. She explained how it started. It was verbal abuse at first. She was pregnant with me, did not have many job skills so did not think she could leave just then. Then it became physical. She said every time he hit her he would promise it would not happen again. However, it always did. I guess pretty soon she was so beaten down it was just a way of life. All she thought about was survival. She didn't see any way out", she said. "So what was the final straw", Grissim asked, knowing Sara needed to talk. "He hit me. It left a bruise. Like when he hit her he promised it would not happen again. But then she came to a realization, that he had always broken that promise, so she asked herself why it would be any different that time. I do not even remember him hitting me. I must have blocked it out. I looked at the social service records. I did have a bruise across my face. Anyway, a few days after he hit me the first time, he got angry again. That was when she stood up to him. She had hid a knife in the bedroom. When he started getting angry because I had spilled my juice on the carpet, she stood up to him. He started coming after her and she ran to the bedroom grabbed the knife and all her anger must have taken over", she finished. "Sara, I'm sorry. That had to be hard. I wish I could have been there for you", Grissim replied. "You didn't need to do this all on your own", he added. "Yea, I did", she corrected him. "I also found some people who knew my father. Some were family members. They seemed glad to see me again. Some were friends. I learned that he had some good points too", she added. Grissim waited patiently for her to continue, knowing there was more coming. He was pleased she could discuss things so openly. "He loved animals for example", she said. "He never raised a hand to an animal, only women and children. Still they said he loved to spend time with me. He read to me. He taught me about nature. I do not remember much of that. Again, I think I blocked a lot of it out. All of his friends said his temper was his downfall. Apparently, his father had been abusive to him and his mother. I think it was the only way he had learned to treat those he cared about. They said he always bragged about me, stating he was not going to be easy on me and teach me right from wrong. It was the only way he knew. The more I learned about him, the more I realized he was not the monster I always had seen him as. He did have some good traits. I think he loved me in his own way", she finished taking a sip of wine. "How could anyone not love you Sara", he said smiling. Becoming more serious, he added, "It seems you have learned a lot and done a lot of soul searching", he said. "Yes, I have. I am glad I went back to school too. I do not think I could go back out to the field. I looked mortality in the eye when I was trapped under that car. Nothing was the same after that. I was tired. I was tired of seeing death. I was tired of the injustice", she replied. "So what will you do", Grissim questioned, his heart pounding. He knew so much of what she decided would affect their future. "I want to teach. I have applied several places. ULV is one of them", she said quietly. Grissim smiled. "I put you as a reference. I know that is probably deceptive, but frankly I do not care. If that is what it takes to get the teaching position, I am willing to be deceptive", she added. Grissim smiled. "I think you probably could get a teaching job there without my reference anyway. You have wonderful credentials", he replied. "Maybe, maybe not", she said. "They have a great department", she added. "I love what I did in the lab and in the field. I just know I need time away from it", she added. "I would have a lot of experience to bring into the classroom", she added. 'Yes you would", Grissim added. He paused. "What about us Sara', he asked. " Will you marry me", he asked, almost regretting the suddenness with which he had said it. He knew immediately he was rushing her too much. It was Sara's turn to be silent. She looked down at her napkin. "Gill, you know I love you. However, I have to work. I hope to get the job here, so we can see if things continue to work out. But if I don't then it becomes a long distance thing, because I know I am not ready to come back to the field", she explained. "Then I will go where you find a teaching position. There are almost always openings in the crime lab, especially with experience", he said. "Gill, you should be running the lab", she replied in frustration. "I can not ask you to give up everything for me", she responded. "Sara, I know I was slow to come around to this relationship. I fought it for a while. I was confused. I was your supervisor and everything in my mind told me pursuing a relationship was wrong. However, my heart always beat differently. It eventually won out. Frankly, nothing is more important than my life with you. I can do what I do in Vegas, in LA, in Omaha Nebraska", he said looking into her eyes. She smiled. "I know why I love you", she replied, taking his hand in hers. "Lets just play it by ear and see what happens, OK', she asked. Grissim was silent but smiled. She was here now and that was what he was going to have to settle for.

Grissim and Sara spend a large portion of the night talking quietly in bed, at least when they were not participating in other activities. Toward the early morning however, he heard her softly sleeping. He yawned himself. They were both exhausted, physically and mentally.

No Face Man had fled the area when he had heard the sirens. He sat in his car, watching the police from a distance. They had gone into the back yard with their flashlights. Had they seen his footprints, he asked himself. After only ten or fifteen minutes, he was surprised to see the officers leave. Apparently, they had not seen anything to indicate he had been there. He watched as Rebecca made her way around the house, checking the windows. Later he saw a light go one in the bedrooms upstairs. Eventually they went off one by one. Probably putting the children to bed. However, one light remained burning. That was probably her bedroom, he thought to himself, becoming aroused. Part of her punishment would be raping her. He smiled, resisting the urge to return to take her right then. He knew she had probably resent the security system, and the police would be on the alert and response time would be quick. It was better to wait. He wanted to catch her there, in her own home, where he could leave messages for Dr. Grissim. He would have to plan carefully however. Better to wait, he thought, starting his ignition and heading home to rest. He was once again exhausted. He would rest awhile and return in the morning. No need to come early. He could always let her go on into work in the morning. He might then try to get her in the evening when she returned home. After all, he knew where she worked and where her assigned parking place was.

One genetic trait Rebecca Grissim-Hensley shared with her brother Gill was the tendency toward Migraine headaches. She awoke the next morning with one. She sat up quietly on the edge of the bed, assessing the level of the headache. Knowing it was in full swing and that she would accomplish little at work she picked up the phone. Flipping open the black book at her bedside, she turned to her one of her partners numbers. Bart Simons owed her; he could cover any labors she had today. She called him quickly, making arrangements. He was more that delighted to help her out. "Feel better", he had said. Part of his cooperativeness was his desire to get Rebecca to go out with him. He had started trying to purse a relationship with her less than six months after Dan's death. He was attractive and honestly desirable, but frankly, she was just not ready for a relationship left. Dan's absence still hurt too much. Rebecca then called the office, directing her nurses to cancel and reschedule her appointments. Her head pounding, she then placed a call to her nanny, Maggie Bradford. Maggie stayed with the family when she was on call in the evenings. Rebecca paid her well enough to keep her from feeling the need to take on a job during the day, with the understanding she would be available if Rebecca needed her to be there for the kids as well. Sometimes they had a cold or flu and day care would not take them. Maggie was always willing on those occasions to make her available. It was difficult to take care of the children and rest as she needed to relieve the headache. Maggie could entertain the kids, so she could do so. Then she would not have to drive across town to take them and pick them up from the day care.

She stumbled to the bathroom finding her Imatrex. She downed two capsules with a glass of water, leaning against the counter. The light hurt her eye causing her to close them. She knew the origins of the headache were the late night happenings the night before and her poor sleep that had resulted. She thought about calling and letting Gill know about what happened the previous night and having him look around. She had the impression that the older officer had not really investigated the area all that well. He was probably right, that there was nothing to worry about, however she still wished they had looked over the area better. She recalled that Sara's plane had come in the night before however, and decided not to call her brother. Despite her headache, she managed a smile. She hoped her brother was very appropriately distracted by his visit with Sara. She decided she would not do anything to interrupt their visit.

Less than 45 minutes later, she heard Maggie's key turning in the lock. The kids, having gotten to sleep late as well were still sleeping. She heard Maggie punch in the key code in the security system. "So sorry you have a headache", Maggie said. "Can I get you anything? Something to eat", she asked. Rebecca smiled. Maggie sometimes felt like she was Nanny to the entire family, not just the kids. She would have loved to pamper Rebecca and cook her breakfast. Unfortunately, the thought of food made Rebecca more nauseated. "I so appreciated that", she replied grimacing, "but I think I will have to pass". Rebecca went back to the bedroom, pulled the shades, and closed her eyes.

Maggie and the kids played all day. When they started getting loud, Maggie looked up the stairs concerned they would awaken their mother. "Let's go outside", she said cheerfully. The kids cheered until she put on finger in front of her mouth. Both kids giggled at the expression and made their way out the door outside.

No Face man sat behind the tinted windows of his car watching Rebecca's parking stall. Did she park somewhere else", he questioned. He had checked, her office was here on the hospital campus. Was she at another hospital? He waited until late afternoon, and could no longer control his curiosity. He decided to drive back by her house. To his surprise, although the house looked quiet he could hear children playing outside. He watched as a woman walked the kids out of the gated back yard out to the front on the house. The dog followed them. The woman walked to the garage door, and punched in on what appeared to be a keypad. The door opened and reveled Rebecca's car sitting inside. She must not be working, he thought in confusion. Then who was this woman? He quietly rolled down one window a tiny crack. He heard the kids laughing and calling the woman Maggie. After watching her go into the garage with them, he decided that she might be the nanny. He just did not understand why Rebecca's car was still there. Then he heard the kids exit the garage, with some outdoor game in their hands. "Maybe Mommy will feel better later and be able to play too", he heard the little girl say.

The dog followed behind the kids and waited while the nanny dropped the garage door back down. The dog then turned and started at the car. A low growl emitted from the animal's throat. "What is wrong boy", he heard the nanny question. The growling turned into a loud bark. Eyeing the car, Maggie quickly brought the children closer, making her way back to the gate into the back yard. She made a mental note of the license plate number, and noted the make and model of the car parked in front of the house. It was unusual for Dog to bark and growl like that. Katrina also seemed uneasy about the incident. After stopping and tearing off a corner of the instructions of the yard game they were about to play, she pulled a pen out of her skirt pocket, wrote the number, make, and model down. She slides the note into her skirt pocket as well. "Dog was growling again", Katrina said looking back toward the front. "Again", Maggie asked. "Yes, Maggie. He got upset about something last night. It woke me up last night and when I looked out the window I saw someone running away from the house", she said her eyes wide. "The policeman were here and they said it was my imagination. I do not have an imagination. I saw a man", she insisted.

"Well Miss Katrina, you do have an imagination. But if you said you saw someone I believe you", Maggie replied kneeling before the little girl. Now she understood Rebecca's headache. It had probably been brought on by the stress of the night and combined lack of sleep. "Stay here by the deck", she said quietly, making her way toward the gate. When she looked out the gate to where the car was parked, it was gone. Probably just someone checking an address or talking on his or her cell phone, she thought to herself. Still she would give the license plate and car description to Rebecca when she awoke.

No Face Man was angry with himself for his lack of control. Grissim would call it "lack of patience", he thought to himself clenching his fists. He had risked exposure parking right in front of the house. And that damn dog! He had somehow known it was him. The nanny had looked right at the car, taking it all in. He had formulated a plan, but decided for now to go get something to eat. He chose a busy dinner, he often went to. The server would have difficulty pinpointing an exact time he was there. It would provide him with an alibi of sorts. Even if the police showed up with a warrant, they would not find where he had done his work. He guessed that they might find some of the trace evidence he had heard Grissim speak about, but by the time they got back to the lab, and determined it belonged to either Taborsky or Green, he could be long gone. I just cannot afford to make any more mistakes like today, he thought clenching his fists again.

Rebecca aroused early evening to the smells of Mexican. The headache was gone, only the residual fatigued feeling persisted. She heard her stomach growl. She arose, threw on a robe, and made her way to the kitchen. "Mommy", the kids cried jumping up and wrapping their arms around her. They liked daycare and the loved Maggie, but their mother was still their first choice. "Hey guys", she said smiling a tired smile. "You look more rested. I take it the headache is better", Maggie asked, scooping Rebecca up a plate of enchilada casserole. "Yes, much and I am hungry. Thanks for making the kids supper and making extra for me", Rebecca smiled receiving the loaded plate. Maggie scooped up her own plate and sat at the seat next to Rebecca. The four chatted about the day.

When the kids finished they asked to go watch Bugs, Bugs, Bugs on television. It was their favorite show and very educational. Rebecca nodded her consent. Maggie usually jumped up and started doing the dishes had lingered. Rebecca sensed she had something to discuss. Once the kids were gone, Maggie pulled out the scrap of paper she had written the license plate and description of. "This car was parked in front of the house today. Katrina said there was an incident here last night. She insists she saw someone. The dog went crazy. It worried me so I wrote this down. I think you should have your brother look up the number of this plate and make certain it is not someone with a record or something", she advised.

Rebecca paused, a chill again running up her spine. She had had the sense of being watched last night. Had there been someone here last night, she asked herself. She took the paper from Maggie and pinned it to the bulletin board by the refrigerator. "Thanks Maggie", she said. "Well are you going to call him", Maggie asked frustrated. "I really got the creeps", she said. "I will when you are gone. If it is anything I need to worry about I will call you", she promised. Maggie nodded. "Well I made me uneasy", she said. "You will call", she insisted. "Yea I will. I might wait until later in the evening. He can access his computer at home he can log into and look it up", Rebecca lied. She had not intention of disturbing Gill when Sara was visiting. Maggie looked at her, uncertain if she should believe Rebecca or not. "Listen", Rebecca began when she saw Maggie's disbelieving look. "It could have been he was making a call on his cell phone. He might have been looking for a lost business file on the seat of the car. He could have many reasons for pulling over in front of the house. But I will ask Gill, but will probably wait until tomorrow", Rebecca admitted. "Why", Maggie asked, tempted to take the slip of paper back and call Gill herself. "Because Sara is back and I do not want to bother him", Rebecca replied. Maggie nodded and smiled. "Really, how great. Are they working things out", she asked. "I can only hope so", Rebecca replied, thinking how difficult it would be to pull Gill out of depression this time if Sara left again. Rebecca and her brother obviously looked out for each other. Gill had helped pull Rebecca out of depression when Dan had died. Maggie had been thankful for it. Rebecca in turned had helped Gill through Sara's unexpected departure. She understood why Rebecca did not want to call. "Well you will be talking to him soon? And you will use the security system", she directed knowing Rebecca often hated the thing. "Yes I will. I will call tomorrow. I promise", Rebecca replied.

Rebecca walked Maggie to the door. "Thanks Maggie, I really appreciate it", she said hugging the nanny. Before the woman reached her car, Rebecca had locked both locks and had turned to activate the security system.

As Maggie Bradford pulled out of the drive, she braked, taking one last look at the house. For some reason she was still uneasy. It was nothing she could pinpoint, but she still felt uneasy leaving Rebecca and the children. "Oh, you are getting daft old woman", she said shaking her head. She did not notice the nondescript blue sedan pull up behind her.

Maggie reached home ready for bed. She loved those kids but all day always exhausted her. She walked up to her door, reaching for her keys. It was then that she heard footsteps behind her. She felt an arm quickly slip around her neck. "Don't move", heard a male voice say. Startled she stumbled and dropped her keys. No Face Man tightened his grip on Maggie. "Pick it up Bitch, or I'll cut your neck", he scowled. Frightened, Maggie fumbled, reaching for the keys. After a couple of attempts, she managed to pick them back up. Shaking, she heard the man tell her to open the door.

He pushed her inside, shutting the door behind him. "Do you live alone", he asked. Maggie nodded her head. "Good, that gives us some time to talk", he replied. "Do you have the key to her house", he asked. "Whose house", Maggie stammered. No Face Man tightened his grip on her neck. "You know who I mean", he threatened. "If you want to live you will tell me", he threatened. Maggie was frightened, she sensed this was the man who Katrina had seen in the yard, as well as who the man she had seen in the parked car outside Rebecca's house. She also instinctively knew that she was a dead woman regardless of whether she gave this creep the information he wanted or held out. It was just a matter of how long she would manage to live. She knew that once he had the information he wanted, her time to figure out how to get away would have run out. So it was with both her affection she held for Rebecca and the kids as well as concern for her own life that she held out. "I do not have a key. Ms. Rebecca lets me in", she said. The man placed the knife he held closer to her neck, nicking it very shallowly, causing a little trickle of blood to run down her neck. "You lie", he accused. Open you purse, he ordered. As she did, he tipped it over on the table and dumped it out. The keys to Rebecca's house fell out. He smiled. "But she has a security system as well", he said. "I suggest you give me the code", he directed, "If you want to live that is."

Maggie shook her head." No way. You can take the key, but I will not tell you the code." "You don't want to live", he threatened. "I am not stupid. You will kill me once you know the code"; she replied trying to maneuver so, she might be able to kick one foot into his groin. Practiced in such maneuvers he sensed her objective. Deciding it was time to get to business, he pushed her forward, banging her head into the table. Maggie's vision blurred momentarily, the room spinning. Her vision blurred. As it cleared, she saw he had picked up the large lamp from the end table. He held it above her. "Are you going to start talking", he asked raising the lamp above his head.

Maggie shook her head twisting away. The initial blow hit her right rib cage. She felt the bones explode and pain radiating like a bright fire. No Face man kicked the area with his foot. "Start talking bitch", he ordered. Her right lung collapsing, Maggie could barely breathe; much less tell him any code. Frowning, No Face Man knelt beside her. He had not expected her to be this tough. He pulled the wire cutters out of his pocket. He took her right thumb in one hand. "I cut off a finger every minute until you decide to talk", he threatened. Maggie just started at him, her breathing labored. She watched as he cut her thumb off. "OK, ready to talk now", he asked.

An hour later, he looked down at Maggie. The floor was covered with blood and her color was pale. The fingers of her right hand lay in one pile and the fingers of her left lay in another. He knew in his heart she was not going to talk, but he had enjoyed torturing her anyway. He had wasted too much time with her however. It was time to finish her off. He picked up the lamp again, bringing it up and down over her rib cage and abdomen. He could hear her moan. He brought the lamp up one final time, ready to finish her off. Smiling, he stopped. Let her suffer, he thought to himself. He laughed, "See Grissim. I do have patience." He put the lamp down, moving toward the table where the contents of her purse laid. He sat down at the table, slowly going through the contents. Pushing aside the makeup, he reached for her wallet. He found a plastic holder, containing pictures of various family members and Rebecca's kids. He pulled each out one by one. When he came to Katrina and Danny's he smiled. "She does have cute kids", he said. "Don't worry. I won't hurt them", he added. He pulled out the photographs, flipping them over to see if she had written the kids names on back. It might be helpful knowing the kids names. To his surprise, he did not see the kid's names; rather he saw a four-digit code.

He looked over at the suffering Maggie, whose eyes widened. "This is the code isn't it", he laughed. Maggie shook her head, but he could see through the lie. "I think I have what I came for. Thanks", he said. He debated a moment. Grissim had accused him on not being patient. He was patient however. This woman was slowly bleeding to death. He could sit here and watch. He might even be able to take his chances and leave her here to die suffering. Deciding that leaving her was too much risk, he knew he would finish her off before he left. He sat a few minutes more, relishing in the pain she was in. Her eyes pleaded with him, but he did not know if it was for her own life, or for that of the woman and children she had tried to protect. Morning was approaching. He needed to get away from the neighborhood before any nosy neighbors got up. Picking up the table lamp, he quickly brought it down, smashing it over Maggie's head. He heard her skull crack and watched as grey brain matter leaked out. Deciding his job was complete; he picked up the keys, the pictures of the kids and walked out the front door. Tomorrow evening, after work Rebecca, he thought. He drove home, showered washing Maggie's blood and brain matter off of him and dropped into bed exhausted.

Gill awoke slowly, descending at intervals from the depths of sleep. His first real sense of awareness was that of Sara's warm body next to him. Rex lay at the foot, curled up on Sara's feet. He was glad to have his mistress home as well. Grissim smiled, turned, and watched Sara sleep. She was so intense when she was awake, but was a peaceful vision at rest, as if all her struggles in life were temporarily washed away. He loved to lay here gazing at her.

Sara sensed his eyes on her. She gradually awakened opening her eyes slowly. As his face came into focus, she flashed back to when she had been rescued in the dessert. Her first vision upon awakening had been the name Grissim on his CSI uniform, followed by his face, which at that time had worn a mask of concern. Now however, it wore a mask of contentment. She was certain her own face wore that same mask.

They showered, and then made breakfast together. "I thought we could perhaps go to the amusement park, you know the one where we all got to ride, while you had to watch with your broken arm", he said. It had brought out the inner kid in him and he had wished Sara could have joined them. "Sounds great", she said.

After the amusement park, they came home, fell into bed for a while, then got up and showered again for supper. Sarah was already in the kitchen, preparing a special vegetarian pasta dish that she knew Gill loved. "We could have gone out", Grissim said watching her work in the kitchen. "Oh but I missed cooking for you", she replied. Grissim grinned. Sara made a few vegetarian dishes he loved, but most of the time, her cooking left a lot to be desired. He smiled. Her lack of cooking finesse was another thing he loved about her. He walked over pulling her to him, relishing her with a kiss.

Rebecca awoke feeling more rested the next morning. She knew she would have a full day at the office, as some of her appointments from yesterday had been rescheduled to today. She dropped the kids off at the daycare early and got her hospital round out of the way, apologizing to her patients for her absence. A few times, she thought about the man outside her house, and the car Maggie had seen. She had forgotten the plate number however, and calling Gill would be of little use without it. Instead, she dug into work, deciding she would call it to him later when she got home, just to be safe. She arrived at the office on time to the surprise of her nursing staff. "You made early rounds', they said delighted. That meant they might stay somewhat on schedule for the day, getting out close to on time.

Rebecca finally sat for lunch around 1:00. She was famished. Glancing at the waiting room however, she kept it short. She did not want her patients waiting too long. "Back to work", she said, indicating that she wanted the next patients brought into the exam rooms.

Rebecca finished her last chart entry at around 6:30. All but one of her nurses had gone home for the evening. Only Tiffany remained behind, in the event Rebecca needed something. Tiffany stuck her head in Rebecca's office. "I know you do not want to hear this, but Dr. Pickney wants to know if you can run over a do a delivery for him. He has another patient who is about ready to deliver at Mercy. He knows you are still here playing catch up. Rebecca sighed. Dr. Pickney was the only partner who practiced at two different hospitals. It was annoying because then he frequently could not make his deliveries at both. She had little choice however. "Tell them I will be over", she said. "Also could you call Maggie for me", she asked. "See if she can get the kids. They are probably tired of daycare and getting hungry. Then you can head out too. ", She continued as she made her way out the door. " OK, sure", Tiffany replied, walking over to Rebecca's Rolodex, flipping to Maggie's number.

Rebecca was just finishing up the delivery when her pager went off. "Crap", she muttered under her breath. She checked the number. It was the office. Confused, as Tiffany should be long gone, she pulled off her gown and gloves and pulled her cell phone off her scrub pocket. "Rebecca I can not get Maggie to answer", Tiffany informed her. Rebecca frowned. Maggie was usually available and always at least answered. However, Rebecca had not been on call, so Maggie might be at a movie or something where she had to shut the phone off. "Uh, thanks Tiffany. Did you let the daycare know I would be running late then", she asked. Rebecca was fortunate to have awesome office staff, who understood her personal difficulties since Dan had died. "Yes I did. They said no problem", she answered. Rebecca nodded. She glanced at her watching, thinking she had better go get the kids.

No Face Man had slept soundly for several hours. He knew he had plenty of time but was anxious to get his plan in motion. He had arrived at Rebecca's house, circling a few times to make certain she was not home. He then parked several blocks over. He walked toward the house. The neighborhood was cooperatively quiet. Everything was fitting into place. He smiled.

Glancing around one more time quickly he made is way up the steps. He slid the key in the front lock, then the other key in the dead bolt. His heart raced as he held up the picture of Katrina. It had what he believed had the code to the security system. If he were wrong, he would once again be running away before the police arrived. He was uncertain where the keypad was, but knew usually they were kept by the door. He took a breath and abruptly opened the door. He smiled when he quickly spotted the keypad. He punched in the code on the back of Katrina's picture. The beeping which had started once he opened the door abruptly stopped. "I'm in", he whispered. He then closed the door and punched in the code again, rearming the alarm. He did not want Rebecca to know he was here until she was well inside the door.

Rebecca chatted good-naturedly with the kids on the way home. It was late, so she provided the kids with an unusual treat, Burger King hamburgers. Both kids reported having fun that day. They were both obviously tired. It would be baths and to bed almost immediately upon arriving home, she thought.

Rebecca pulled up to the attached garage, hitting the button to open the garage. The door opened slowly and she drove in, hitting the button again, behind her watching as the door went down. The many stories her brother had told her had made her cautious about such things. Once the door was closed, she opened her car door and helped the kids out of their seats. "To the tub", she laughed as she hugged each child. "Can I write with that colored soap you bought", Katrina asked. "Of course you can", Rebecca laughed.

She opened the garage door, quickly silencing the security alarm. Once she had silenced it, she reset it again. She and the children walked into the living room, preparing to make their way up the stairs to the bathroom. At first, Rebecca did not see the man sitting on the couch. It was only when Katrina stopped dead in her tracks that she turned and saw him. "The No Face Man", Katrina whispered frightened. It was the same man she had seen watching them play that day. Rebecca pulled both children toward her. "What do you want", she gasped.

"Sit", the No Faced Man directed waving a large gun in her direction. Rebecca slowly made her way to the loveseat, pushing both kids behind her. "Oh you do not need to worry about them", the man reassured her. "It is you I want, Dr. Rebecca Grissim-Hensley. Did you hyphenate your name to shame your husband, because you were such a big shot doctor", he asked. Rebecca suddenly realized that this was the individual who had kidnapped Theresa Taborsky and Dr. Green. It was the man Gill was looking for.

"You are wondering why I am here for you I guess. You see he started as a threat to me. He also insulted me. He goes around talking about how I have no patience. He tells his team eventually I will make a mistake. He pretends to know so much when he understands nothing about me. You see, I need to teach him a lesson. Then of course there is that little incident where you let a new mother die. What kind of doctor does that", he asked? Rebecca shook her head. "I did all I could for her", she replied. "Whatever", he answered. "You see you have to die anyway to teach your big mouthed brother a lesson. So it really does you no good to tell me you are different from any of the rest", he laughed.

He motioned with the gun, pointing up the stairs. "Now lets get down to business", he said. "Your nanny is going to start stinking soon and I do not want that nosy brother of yours putting two and two together and interrupting my plans", he said smiling.

The kids were silent. Katrina's eyes were frightened and wide. The No Faced Man pointed his gun toward Katrina's bedroom. It was the larger of the two. "I will let them stay here together", he said motioning with the gun. The kids clung to Rebecca's leg. "I said get them in there", he snapped, taking the gun and pistol-whipping Rebecca across the face. Katrina screamed and Daniel buried his face in her skirt.

Rebecca tasted blood where the gun had split her check. Knowing she had no choice, she motioned both children into Katrina's room. "It will be OK", she said softly. Katrina looked at her mother. "He hit you", she said tearfully. Rebecca did not answer, as she knew none. She led the kids to the bed. "Tie them up", the No Faced Man directed, pointing to the rope he had left on Katrina's dresser. Rebecca looked at him pleading. "I said I won't hurt them, as long as you listen", he replied. She had no choice but believe him.

Both kids were crying as she tied their hands behind their back and then secured them to the headboard as the No Faced Man directed. She now knows what Katrina had meant by her statement that he had no face. His right ear was totally missing. It looked as if it had been surgically excised. His left face was sunken at the cheekbones, where it would have protruded out. In its place, the face caved in. The opposite side was also disfigured, this time the lower portion of the mouth having a large open pouch at the side." It will be OK. You two be very quiet and sit here and do not move. Do what he tells you OK", she directed. Katrina was crying, Daniel wide eyed, and silent, but both nodded. "Good Job Mommy", the man taunted. "Too bad you are not as good of a doctor", he said sneering.

He closed the door behind him, taking another piece of rope. He tied the rope to the knob on one door, then to Danny's room across the hall. It made it impossible to open up Katrina's door, even if she did get out of the ties.

"Lie on the bed", he directed. Rebecca slowly did as she was directed. No Faced Man pinned her down with his weight, tying each hand to the headboard. "Just tell me one thing", Rebecca asked. No Face Man smiled and shrugged. "Why", she asked. "Look at me and ask why", he screamed, his face even more deformed looking when he did so. "Theresa Taborsky was the one who diagnosed me with cancer", he said spitefully. Green was the surgeon she sent me to. He did this", he exclaimed. "I would have been better off dead", he insisted. "But Green didn't do your surgery. He couldn't have", Rebecca commented confused. "The Dr. Green you abducted and killed was a general surgeon. The physician who removed the cancer from your face was a oromaxifacial specialist", she said, hoping to divert the crazy man.

"Not possible", the No Faced Man replied, once again whipping the gun across Rebecca's face. "I didn't see him, but I know he was Dr. Green and that he practiced at the same hospital you do", he continued. Rebecca shook her head. "You got the wrong doctor", she said. "His father is also Tom Green, only he is the oromaxiofacial surgeon. You could not tell them apart", she asked. No Face Man stopped and looked at her, realizing that she was telling the truth. "I didn't get to see the doctor prior to surgery. I came in and saw his Physicians Assistant before surgery and that was whom I saw for follow up. Apparently he did not even care enough about me as a person to meet me except under anesthesia", he said. "But you are lying. There was only one Thomas Green on the physician's roster. "His father goes by T. Paul Green. Many times they leave the T off of the roster by mistake. He is not the most personable person. He often never meets his patient, having his assistant see the patient and obtain health history. You are not the only one of his patients who has never laid eyes on him, but he is an excellent surgeon. I am assuming he did what he needed to do to save your life", she replied. No Face Man was quiet for a moment. He realized he had made a serious mistake. Rather than pacify him, it angered him further. This bitch would pay, as would her nosy brother. Once her was done with her, he would have to go back and find the right doctor. "Do you think I want to live like this? I would rather he had let me die. He didn't tell me it would be this way", he exclaimed. "You know if you had gone back he would have referred you to a reconstructive surgeon. It is not too late. Don't you see? You do not have to hurt anyone. You just need to finish your follow up care", she explained softly, hopping to reason with the man. "No", No Face Man screamed. "Don't you see it is not my face now! It never will be. You cannot fix this to look like me. I was a handsome man! He too me away. Now all I have is this", he said, pointing to his disfigured face. "Tell you what", he leered at Rebecca. "Lets see if you want this. Lets see how badly this revolts you", he said as he began to undress. Rebecca tried not to further anger the man, she tried not to cringe. She could not help herself however. Her last thought was that she wished she had called Gill with that license plate number after all.

Nick, Katherine, Greg, and Misty were continuing to pour over Taborsky's patient charts when Eckley dropped by the office. Charts were scattered in front of each CSI and they were blurry eyed. "You guys have to drop what you are doing and go out on a new case", he directed. "But", Nick started to protest. "I know, you guys are up to your ass in patient records, looking for some clue. I also know that it is possible we will end up with another abduction. But everyone else is tapped out and I have no choice", he said, wishing Grissim was back already. "Come on guys. We actually could use a break, come back with fresh eyes", she said. The rest of the team nodded. "What's the case", she said. "A homicide actually", Eckley responded. "I know. You guys do not have time for a case like that. As soon as another team opens up they can take over processing", he said throwing up his hands. "Great", Katherine said.

When they arrived at the scene Brass was there. "We have a female DB. I do not see anything missing, but the contents of her purse were all over the table here. Maybe there was cash taken or credit cards. Her friend was to pick her up for a movie tonight. When the Vic did not answer the door, she let herself in. She had a key in case of an emergency", Brass explained. "Boy someone sure die a number on her body for a simple robbery", Greg commented looking at the victim. "You have a name", Katherine asked. "Yea Maggie Bradford", Brass replied. I ran her social security number; he card was in her wallet. Last listed employer on her W2 was one Dr. Rebecca Grissim-Hensley. The team all looked up sharply at the name. "Grissim mentioned his sister was a physician. Any chance his sisters is her employer", Greg asked. "Yea. We just got his sisters address. I am sending a squad car over", Brass replied. "You don't think", Katherine began. "I am hoping there is not a connection", was all Brass could reply. The team anxiously started working the scene. Katherine had just knelt by the body when Brass's cell phone rang. "Brass", he answered quickly. "Damn", he replied, attracting the attention of the entire team. "Misty, Greg, you two need to stay and handle this. Don't leave anything unturned", he directed. The team looked at him awaiting further explanation. "The squad car just arrived at Grissim's sisters house. She is not there", he said. "Lets get moving", Katherine responded, she and Nick heading out the door.

Grissim and Sara sat eating the delicious pasta Sara had thrown together. Gill had made the garlic bread and salad. He opened wine. "We could watch a movie after supper, or we could go out somewhere. " I vote the movie. I really just want to spend some quiet time with you. That has always been some of our best times together", she said softly. Grissim smiled. "Then it is a movie", he said. He was just raising his fork to his mouth with another bit of pasta when his cell phone rang. He glanced at it, ignoring the phone altogether. Sara knowing the anxiety it would case him to ignore it replied. "You know, I am going to be here a week. If you have to go in for awhile I understand", she smiled. "No. I have been waiting for a long time to be able to spend time with you Sara. I have a very efficient team. They will have to just get by without me", he responded. "OK", Sara said. "You are right. We did get by without you for over a month", she nodded. "Although on a more personal level, I missed you terribly", she teased. "And I you", he admitted. He was just getting ready to take another bite when it rang again. He looked at the phone. It was Brass. He paused a minute and clipped it back into his belt buckle. Sara smiled, knowing it was killing him not to answer. However, Grissim had made the commitment to spend the week with her and he was determined to do so.

Brass stood in Rebecca's house, looking at the scene before him. He sighed, clicking his phone shut again. "Damn it Gill pick up your phone", he grumbled. He knew Grissim was focusing on spending time with Sara and was probably deliberately ignoring the phone. Nick stood in Rebecca's bedroom scanning the sheets with the ultraviolet light. "Sperm present", he replied, quickly swabbing for DNA. "Did you get Grissim yet", he asked? "No, can you dust the phone for prints right now", Brass asked. "Sure, you think Grissim will answer if the call if from his sister", Nick said getting out his dusting powder. They had been trying to call Gill for over 20 minutes. Nick dusted, finding multiple prints, most of which were smeared and probably belonged to Grissim's sister. "Brass I have any prints I can get off of here. You can handle the phone if you like", Nick said. "You OK with giving him this news. You want me to do it", he offered. To his relief, Brass shook his head. Frowning, Brass picked up the phone and dialed Grissim's number.

Together Sara and Gill had quickly cleared away supper dishes and were presently settling onto the couch. Sara had leaned contently into Gill's shoulder, feeling nothing but contentment. She had come to a decision. If Gill would have her, she would take him up on his previous offer of marriage. She knew mentally she would not handle going back into the field. Hopefully, the teaching job at LVU would become a reality. If not, she would hopefully be able to teach as adjunct staff at the very least. If not, she would have to look for something in commuting distance, because there was no way she would ever be apart from Gill again. She still had questions about her childhood to answer, but decided that she would find the rest with Grissim's love and support.

Gill's phone rang again. He sighed, ignoring it. He relaxed when it quit ringing. In a few minutes, it rang again. He tensed. It finally quit ringing. "Gill at least see who it is. Then you can decide if you want to answer it or not", Sara laughed. She would have to tell him her decision. At least it would relax him some. "Listen, I have come to a decision", she began. Again the phone interrupted. Grissim sighed in frustration, pulling the phone from its clip. "I should just turn it off", he grumbled but then glanced at the caller ID. "Oh, it Rebecca", he said as he flipped the phone open to answer.

Sara had immediately like Grissim's sister. In some ways she had envied the relationship they had. Not that she resented any time he spent with his sister, or the affection he obviously felt toward her. She just wished she could have had the same sort of childhood relationship with a sibling. His devotion to his sister was one of the things she loved about Gill. Rebecca had been very supportive of their relationship. In fact, it was Rebecca that had finally gotten Grissim to get over the fact that Sara was his employee and agree to go to dinner with her.

"Hey", Gill said answering the phone. "Grissim", Brass said once Gill had finally answered. Grissim pulled the phone away from his face in confusion. He had been certain the caller ID had indicated it was Rebecca calling. He looked again. The phone read "Rebecca". "Brass", he asked, his heart sinking. Why would Brass be calling from his sister's phone? Grissim sat up. "Gill. Oh Jesus. I do not know how to tell you this", Brass began pausing. "Then just say it Jim", Grissim said closing his eyes. "Gill, your sister has been abducted. I am sorry. I think you need to get over here", he said. "Are you sure? Where was she taken from", Grissim asked, jumping to his feet, gathering his coat. He motioned Sara to join him. "It looks like he too her here, at the house", Brass explained. "The kids. Katrina and Danny", he said urgently.

"They are scared, but do not appear to be hurt", Brass replied. "Katherine is talking to them but they are scared Gill. She is not getting much out of them", he explained. "We are on our way", Grissim replied.

"Gill", Sara said, having already put on her shoes. "What's going on", she asked. "Rebecca, the bastard has Rebecca", he said rushing to his car. "Oh God, why", she asked. "I have no idea why. How could she possible be related? Maybe we have been looking at a relationship between these doctors that just is not there. Maybe it is just doctors in general", he said running his fingers through his hair. "Gill, we will find her", Sara said in reassurance. Grissim did not answer.

They drove in silence. Sara knew he was thinking. "I wouldn't even answer the phone", he said guiltily. "I assumed it was Brass about a case", he added. Sara touched his hand. "You couldn't have known", she said softly. He banged his hand against the steering wheel in frustration. They drove awhile longer in silence. "You said we would find her. I know how you feel about the field Sara. If you are not up to this, I know I could use your help with the kids", he said, giving her an out. "I think so much of your sister", Sara replied, "There is not way I could stay behind and not help." Grissim nodded as she squeezed his hand.

Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up in front of his sister's house. The reality of the situation hit him as he saw the familiar yellow crime tape sectioning off her front yard. An officer stopped him. Grissim realized in annoyance he was not dressed in his vest. "Gill Grissim with the crime lab. This is Sara Sidle", he added, not mentioning that she had actually resigned form the department. "Sorry sir", the officer responded. Grissim pushed aside making his way to the house. "Gill", Brass said as he walked in the door. He put a hand on Grissim's shoulder. "You OK", he asked. Grissim only shook his head. "I need to know what happened here Jim, but I know Rebecca would want me to be there for the kids first. Where are they", he asked. "You probably would be a big help with the kids. They saw the person, but they are in too much shock to be able to really talk to Katherine. She is usually great with kids and I am sure eventually she would get something helpful out of them, but a familiar face would go so much further", he explained. Grissim nodded. He and Sara made their way upstairs. He stopped briefly at the top of the stairs. He glanced in Rebecca's bedroom, glancing inside. He saw Nick processing the bedroom. He immediately noticed the crumpled bed spread. Nick was in the process of bagging the bed linens to take back to the lab for processing. "Was there evidence of sexual assault", Grissim asked softly. Nick licked his lips and looked down. "You don't need to answer Nicky. That just said it all", he replied.

He made his way back to the kid's bedroom. Katherine sat on the edge of Katrina's bed. "Uncle Gill, Aunt Sara", Katrina cried running to Grissim. Danny looked up at the two and noting that Katrina had run to Grissim, he ran to Sara. Both folded a child into their arms. Katrina sobbed. Danny sucked his thumb. Both adults held the kids for a while. Grissim looked at Katherine. "Have they said anything", he asked. Katherine shook her head. "Go ahead and help process the scene. I will talk to them in a minute", he whispered.

The kid's sobs finally subsided. Grissim tilted Katrina's chin up. "Katrina, can you tell Uncle Gill what happened tonight", he asked softly, fighting back tears. She swallowed, wanting to cry again. "It's OK. I just need you to be strong for Uncle Gill and tell me what happened. It will help find your mom, OK", he said softly. Katrina nodded and sat on his knee. "We came home from day care. Mom had to work late", she began. Grissim fought the urge to hurry her along. He knew he would get more out of her if he had patience. "Yes", he said in encouragement. "Mom took us to Burger King", she said. Grissim nodded. Rebecca hated junk food for the kids, so he figured she was really running late if she took them for fast food. "When we got in the garage, everything was alright, but the No Faced Man was waiting in the living room", she said beginning to sob. "Katrina", Sara said softly. "You need to be a really brave girl and not cry for just a little while. You remember how you managed not to cry when you hurt your knee skating with your Mom and I", she said smiling. "Yes", Katrina answered. Rebecca and Sara had become good friends. Sara had accompanied Rebecca on several outings with the kids. Once Katrina had fallen skating and was almost hysterical with the pain, as the knee had bruised very badly. Sara had managed to talk her down by telling her what a big brave girl she was. The same soothing voice she was using now had worked then and it appeared to be working now. "You said I needed to think about something else", Katrina had said. "That is right Katrina. I do not want you to think about how scared you were. I just want you to pretend you were somewhere else, but tell me what you saw and heard. Can you do that for me", Sara asked. Grissim looked at Sara, thankful for her help. Katrina nodded and closed her eyes. "The No Faced Man was there again", she said. "Again", Grissim asked, perking up. "Yes, it was the same man that was there a few days ago. He was watching us play", Katrina said. "Mommy yelled at me for talking to him. I was a bad girl for talking to him", Katrina said beginning to loose it again. "No you are not a bad girl honey", Sara said stroking her hair. "Your Mom said she was proud that you didn't say bad things about his appearance, that he had something wrong with his face", Gill replied. "Is that why you call him the No Face Man", he asked. Katrina, her eyes still closed, nodded. "Tell me about his face", Grissim asked. "He didn't have an ear on one side. His check caved in under his eye, but then bulged out by his chin. Everything was all wrong", she said softly. "But I didn't make fun of him or act scared because I didn't want him to feel bad", said. "That's right honey, you do not treat people badly because they are different", Sara said looking at Grissim. He paused. "Rebecca called me saying Katrina had talked to a stranger who was in the back yard. She saw him too. He took off before Rebecca could really see him", he explained. Sara nodded. "I think he was here the next day too", Katrina said. 'I saw someone when Dog got all upset. I think he was wearing the same jacket", she said. "He was here again", Grissim asked. "I think so", she said. "What makes you say that", Grissim asked. Katrina shrugged. "I just think it was him. But the policemen didn't find him", she said. "The police were here", Grissim asked. "Yes, one of them said they knew you. They said you were nice", Daniel finally spoke. Brass had told him on the phone about their Nanny. "Katrina did anything happen yesterday when Maggie was here with you", he asked. Katrina thought for a while. Danny spoke up. "There was a car that made Dog bark in front of the house", he asked. "Dog growled and barked really loud again", he said. "A car", Grissim asked. "That is right. It was a blue car", Katrina added. "How many doors Katrina", Sara asked. Katrina thought a moment. "Four", she said. "Dark blue or light blue", Sara asked. "Dark blue", she answered. The kids were more relaxed and talking now. Sara's calming technique had worked. Grissim risked going back to the events of this evening. "What happened when you went into the living room", Grissim asked. "Think really hard. Try to tell me exactly what this man said", he said softly. "Can you do that", he asked. Katrina nodded. "He talked about you Uncle Gill", Katrina said. "You are Mommy's brother right", she asked. Katrina had had difficulty tracking family relationships. She as yet did not have a good grasp on the fact that her Uncle was her Mother's brother. She always had to ask for confirmation. Guilt overwhelmed Grissim. "Yea, that is right Katrina", he replied looking at Sara. "What else did he say", he asked. "He said you were a threat. You had to pay", she added. Grissim sat Katrina aside and stood up. Sara sat Danny down a minute and stood beside him. "This is because of me", he said fighting back tears. "Gill, lets get the rest of what we can from the kids", she said softly, lifting his face to hers. He nodded. It was obvious that Rebecca had been targeted because Gill was investigating his killings. "What happened then", Grissim said kneeling in front of Katrina. "Then he made Mommy bring us in here and tie us up. It was quiet for a while then we could hear Mommy scream. Where is Mommy, Uncle Gill? I really want my Mommy", she said. Grissim turned away, tears streaming down his face, unable to answer.

Sara consoled Katrina while Gill composed himself again. "We are not sure Katrina, but Uncle Gill and I and a lot of police officers are going to try to find her and get her back here to you as soon as we can. Is there anything else you can tell me that might help us do that", she asked. Katrina shook her head. "I was scared", she whispered. "I can not remember anything else", she said.

Grissim pulled Sara aside. "I need to be here and help work this case", he said. "Gill, you can't do that", she whispered. "You are too close here", she cautioned. "I was too close to you too, but I worked that one. And I helped find you", he said shaking his head. He knew it was not policy, but there was not way he could stay away. Sara nodded. "No, your friend Molly. She has kids. The two of you took her kids and Rebecca's to the zoo. They talked about it for weeks. Can she watch them", he asked. Sara looked at him surprised. "Look, I know they would be better with one of us", he whispered. "But we both know time is of essence here. Much as the kids need us now, they need us more to help find their mother. I need you here Sara. I know the field is not where you want to be, but can you do it one last time. I am so short staffed here. The new girl is fine, but inexperienced. Nick, Greg, and Katherine are just two people. Eckley can rehire you as temporary help", he said. Sara nodded. Gill was right. The kids needed them, but if they could find their Mom before it was too late, it would be the best for them. "OK", she said pulling out her cell phone calling Molly.

Sara and Grissim made their way downstairs with the kids. Knowing there was not way Gill would not be a part of this manhunt, Brass put his hand on Gill's shoulder. "Nick and Katherine are almost done processing the scene. It would be helpful if you looked around and see if you see anything out of the ordinary. You are familiar with the place. Sara taking those poor kids back to your place", he asked. "No to her friends", Grissim replied. Brass looked at him in surprise. "Call Eckley and tell him to process Sara's reinstatement papers as temporary CSI", Grissim ordered. Brass nodded flipping

the phone open. When he was done with the call Grissim continued. "There was a man watching the kids play the other day. Rebecca called me because Katrina had talked to him. Rebecca was going to ground her for the day, make her spend it in her room, but caved because Katrina was so disappointed that she was missing the day with her mother. Katrina says Rebecca had the police out here because she thought someone was here. Katrina believes it was the same man. There was something wrong with this face and there may be a connection. In addition, they saw a blue car in front of the house yesterday. It set the dog off again. It was dark blue, four doors. We need to check with the neighbor's to see if there is anyone who saw the car and maybe got a plate number. I also want to know what the police found here last night", Grissim said. Brass nodded. "I'm on it", he said.

Nick and Katherine made their way downstairs, having already processed the upstairs. "What did you find", Grissim asked, in the leadership mode. "Grissim, I am sorry about your sister man", Nick said. Grissim nodded. "What did you find", he asked. Hating to share the information with him, but knowing he would not settle for anything less than the truth Nick nodded, "We started upstairs because we didn't see much of a struggle in the living room and we had found the kids upstairs, tied up, a rope between the two doors, apparently so that if the kids got untied, they still would not be able to get out", he began. "So he didn't want to hurt the kids", Grissim said. He had already had Brass put a plains clothes officer in front of Sara's friend Molly's house, just in case. "So you have not processed down here", Grissim asked. "No not yet. Upstairs we found evidence of a struggle in the bedroom, signs of sexual activity, and some blood. We have samples to compare for DNA analysis", he explained. "How much blood", Grissim asked softly looking down at the ground. "Not much. Just what you would see with a scuffle. There is every reason to assume she is alive", he responded. "Then we need to get moving", Grissim replied.

Nick and Katherine started processing the downstairs, while Grissim looked around the house. He started with the upstairs, assuming that would be the most likely place to see something out of place, any sort of clue that might lead to Rebecca's return. It sickened him to see the bed, stripped of the sheets and bedspread. He closed his eyes fighting against vision of Rebecca being sexually assaulted. He had to stay detached and keep his cool, but as with Sara's disappearance he had difficulty doing this. He looked in the bathroom. He could see traces of the finger print powder used to dust for prints. He saw that Rebecca's comb and brush had been taken off the counter, probably for DNA analysis. He was seldom in his sister's master bath, but could see nothing unusual. He then went to the children's room. They were messy, but the kid's rooms were usually not spotless. He again saw nothing unusual here. He checked the guest room. There was nothing unusual there. In fact, it appeared to have been uninhabited for some time. Slowly, discouragement and frustration setting in, he made his way downstairs, Nick and Katherine were checking out the periphery. Brass met him in the hallway. "A couple of the neighbors said they saw the blue car, but no one got plate numbers. The windows were tinted, and so they said they assumed it was empty and that Rebecca had a guest. A neighbor a couple of blocks up said that they had a blue four door parked in front of their house for several hours, but assumed it was a guest of the neighbors. So far, it looks like a dead end. One man did say he thought it was a Ford Taurus, but he was not sure. The officers who were here last night are on their way over here to speak with us. Grissim nodded.

"You find anything", Brass asked. Grissim shook his head silently, thinking. Brass left him alone, knowing he worked best in silence. Grissim heard the officers enter and Brass begin to talk to them. "Yea we were here. I checked out the back and my partner here checked out the front yard", the older officer said. "Did you see anything suspicious", Brass asked. "Well just like my report said, nothing alarming", the older officer replied. "That's funny", Nick replied entering the house having just finished processing the back yard. He had several footprint castings and several cigarette butts. "Were these there", he asked. "Well yea, but you know, like I told the woman, there is a walking trail behind her house. Someone could have just wondered off of it to take in the scenery", the older officer replied. "I did find footprints in the front", the younger officer admitted. "I put that in my report, but my partner believed that they were probably the owners or the mailman's", he added. "The mail boxes for this development are cluster boxes. The mail carrier does not come down the street, much less to the doors. And these footprints do not appear anywhere near the size of the homeowner's", Katherine said angrily having entered behind Nick. Grissim looked at the younger officer. "Did you have concerns when you left last night. Perhaps concerns that your partner put off", he asked? "Well yes, some", the younger officer stammered. "Well I want to thank you for at least trying to do your job", Grissim replied. He turned to the older officer. "You are close to retirement I assume. You may just be one step closer", Grissim said getting closer to the officers face. The older officer pushed Grissim away. "Hey enough", Brass exclaimed, getting between Grissim and the officer. "Gill this wont get her back", he said quietly. Grissim flushed, knowing his temper had gotten the better of him. "As for you, you are on suspension until this in better investigated", he said. The older officer nodded and the younger blanched. "Go home but be available in case we need to ask you something", Brass ordered.

Grissim sat on the couch. "They were right here Jim. If only they had checked things out more", he said. "Gill, dwelling on this will not help. Keep helping us look for something that will lead us to this creep", he said, putting his hand on Grissim's shoulder.

Grissim picked up the note that was left behind by the kidnapper. It read:

Dr. Grissim,

You think you know me. You have said I do not have patience. Well I want you to know that I do. I watched your sister for days and waited until the conditions were just right. You will never find any clues I left behind. You also said I have no reason to kill these people. How can you comment on something you cannot even understand? Anyway, I am making you pay for judging me. Trust me, she will suffer even more than the others. You will not even recognize her body when I am through. Next time you will not pass judgment on someone so quickly, now will you?

Sincerely,

The person who will make your baby sister pay for letting her patients die.

Grissim jumped as his phone rang. He pulled it off his belt, checking the caller ID before he flipped it open. The call was coming from Rebecca's cell phone. "Rebecca", he said as he flipped it open. "Oh Dr. Gill Grissim", the male voice on the other end replied. Grissim swallowed. "Yea, this is Gill Grissim", he said. "Where is my sister", he asked. "Ah, that would take all the fun out of this little game", the voice on the other end replied. "Actually I will tell you. She is here with me. Would you like to speak with her", he taunted. "Yes", Grissim replied. Grissim watched while Brass called to try to trace the phones location. "Gill", he heard Rebecca's voice on the other end of the phone. "Are you OK? ", he said. He heard a pause, and a moment's hesitation, followed by her panicked breathing. "Well, lets just say this is not what I would call a Kodak moment. Things are far from picture perfect, but I am hanging in there", she replied. Grissim's brow wrinkled. His sister seldom talked in metaphors, especially in a crisis such as this. The phone was suddenly snatched away and he again heard the voice of her abductor. "The next words you will hear is her begging for Mercy", he laughed. Grissim heard static as the phone was set aside and placed on speaker. He heard a muffled cry followed by the splashing of water. After a minute of the sound of splashing water, he heard the panicked sound of Rebecca drawing in several deep breaths. He could hear her pleading with her attacker. Grissim's gut clenched. "Please", he heard her plead as once again the thrashing sound in the water resumed. This time it seemed longer before he heard the gasps of his sister, struggling to get her breath. "OK, now you get to tell your brother how this is his fault. I am going to put you back on the phone and you can tell him now", the man ordered. He heard Rebecca sob, and then heard a loud smack. "You better say it bitch", he ordered. After a brief interval he heard Rebecca's soft reply, "I don't think so." Grissim heard him strike Rebecca again.

Grissim looked up at Brass, mouthing, "Are you getting this?" Brass nodded, "It just takes time to triangulate the location", he whispered. Grissim heard the man order his sister to tell him it was his fault again and that she hated him. Again, he heard her quiet tearful refusal. Once again, he heard the splashing of water, and could envision Rebecca's attacker holding her head under the water. He glanced at the second hand of his watch, his heart pounding. One minute ticked by. He watched as the second hand of his watch began to make another trip around the face of his watch. His heart pounded as it hit the fifty-five second mark. He knew the human body could not go more than two to three minutes without oxygen.

Grissim sighed a momentary sigh of relief when he once again heard his sister suck in several deep breaths of air. "Tell him", he heard the voice command. "It will be longer under there next time you stupid bitch", he threatened. Grissim knew she would not survive if she were kept under much longer. He also feared this man would do just that. Knowing she could hear him on the speakerphone as well, Grissim shouted, "Rebecca just say it. Just say it." He heard her sobbing and still verbally refusing. He heard the movement once again; assuming it meant her attacker was once again preparing to force her head under the water. "I am giving you one more chance", the man's voice threatened. "Wait", he heard his sister sob. Silently he prayed she just say the words. He knew she would not mean them. "I'm sorry Gill. Its your fault", she gasped. "And you hate him", he heard the attacker add. "I hate you", she said sobbing. "OK, you heard that right Doctor Grissim", her attacker said picking the phone up and turning off the speakerphone. Grissim suddenly heard silence. He glanced at his cell phone. It indicated the call had ended. Pale and stunned, Grissim found the couch, sitting. Brass walked over to where he was sitting. "We got a triangulation on the signal. It is Sunrise Pool, on the south side. A squad car just pulled up there. The pool was closed for the evening. The fence had been cut. There were signs that someone recently was there. There were footprints and water splashed out by the shallow end. It looks like her had her there, but is now gone. Sorry Gill, we tried", he said.

Grissim again got to his feet. He looked around the living room, turning over couch cushions, looking for any furniture out of place. He found nothing. Lastly, he went to the kitchen. Like the rest of the house, there was nothing obvious out of place. All the action seemed to have occurred in the bedroom. "She didn't fight at all because of the kids", Grissim said aloud. Brass sat down next to him, nodding in agreement. "You see anything out of place", he asked. "No, nothing", Grissim answered. "I think she was trying to tell me something. She was talking about this not being a Kodak moment, and something about things not being picture perfect", he muttered. His eyes wandered to the cork display board where Rebecca always put the latest snap shots of the family. There was a picture of Gil with the kids at the zoo. There was an older one of Sara with the kids at the skate park. Rebecca's birthday party pictures were there as well. She was smiling her arm around her brother. Then his eyes moved to something out of place with the rest. Rebecca had the habit of putting post it notes on the board, as reminders of things to do after work, or thing to take with her on the way out the door to work. He pulled out the thumbtack, reading the post-it-note. Ask Gill to run license plate number, DEO78032. "Why would Rebecca want me to run the license plate", he said aloud. "What", Brass asked. "This post-it- note, it has a license plate and a note she made to herself to have me run the plate. Why", he asked. Brass paused. "The nanny. She saw the car with the kids. Would she have wondered and perhaps wrote the plate number down", Brass asked. "It is worth a try. It is something", Grissim replied. Brass picked up the phone calling in to run the plates. He snapped it shut. "The vehicle is a blue Ford Taurus, licensed to a Samuel Goodman. Last know address is 7845 Pickney. Let's go. I have back up in route", he replied.

Sara had stopped at the lab to pick up a kit. Her phone rang. "Hey Sara. I need you to check something. In the workroom, we have a number of Theresa Taborsky's charts. See if you can located one for Samuel Goodman", he ordered. "OK, I will look. What is going on", she asked as she headed toward the workroom. "Rebecca had a license plate number on the cork board in the kitchen. There was a note on it to have me check it out. I think somehow she got the guys license plate", he explained. Sara entered the room, observing the scattered records. "Organized chaos", she said aloud, knowing that her fellow team members had some system. She quickly realized the charts were sorted was by month and year, then alphabetically. She quickly scanned each year until she found the chart for Samuel Goodman. She opened the chart, quickly reading the medical summary. Mr. Goodman used chewing tobacco. He had been diagnosed with oral cancer. Surgery had been recommended and he had been referred to a Doctor Green, but it was a different specialist. The chart indicated that he had undergone radical surgery to the mouth and face to remove the tumor." She flipped open her phone. "Gill, Samuel Goodman was a patient of Taborsky's, but not the general surgeon. He was referred to an oralmaxofacial specialist. The doctors name was Dr. Green however, just not the general surgeon", she informed him. "I think we have our guy", Grissim replied. "What is the address", she asked. "No Sara, you stay there. I will talk to you later", he instructed. "Like hell I will", Sara replied. Her work had made her familiar with medial records. She knew there would be a demographic sheet somewhere in the chart with billing information, including an address. She quickly wrote it down and headed out of the lab.

Rebecca had felt little choice but cooperate with the No Faced Man as he had led her to his car. He had threatened to hurt the kids if she did anything to call attention to her plight. So she had played cool as she walked along side him, his gun pointed into her back. He had tied her hands behind her back once he got her into the car. She stared straight ahead, as he had directed, watching where they were going. She recalled Gill saying that he had sent videos of some of the other victims. If she knew where she was being held perhaps, she could manage to send her brother some sort of message, letting him know where she was. They were headed to the south side of town. She waited silently as they got farther and farther to the edge of town. She looked at him in confusion, as he pulled into the parking lot of the now closed public pool.

"Just a pit stop", he said. He held the gun on her as he quickly made his way to her side of the car. He pulled her roughly out of the car, keeping her hands tied behind her back. Her shoulders protested as her jerked her roughly along with him. He cast a glance around to make certain no one else was at the pool. He then slipped the two of them through a previously cut opening in the fence.

Rebecca looked at the pool confused. What are we doing here, she asked herself. She watched as Samuel took her phone from his pocket. He navigated his way through the contacts on her phone until he found Gill. Then he selected the number for his cell phone. She watched as he waited for the call to go through. Then she listened as he taunted her brother. All the while, she waited for an opportunity to escape. If he would only slip up, look away once, she thought. However, he maintained eye contact with her the entire time. After a few brief taunting words to her surprise, he handed the phone to her. She felt relief and comfort, even just hearing his voice. An idea flashed through her head. She knew Gill would eventually find the license plate number she had left on the corkboard. He had often described how thoroughly they worked a crime scene. However, a little hint and guidance might help. She only prayed her kidnapper would not catch what she was doing. When Gill asked if she was OK, she took the opportunity to drop a hint about the looking on the corkboard. He knew she always kept pictures of the kids on the cord board. He also knew she seldom-used phrases like "a Kodak moment" and "picture perfect", so she hoped he would get the hint she was trying to tell him something. She watched his face to see if he could determine she had just dropped a hint. He did not appear to have noticed. He laughed, finding the speaker button, and then set her phone down on the ground beside them. To her surprise, he grabbed her and roughly forced her to the ground at the edge of the pool. It was then that she realized his plan and started fighting. With her arms behind her back, she could fight little and within seconds found her face plunged into the cool water. She had barely gotten a breath before she was submerged. Despite her efforts to fight back, she was unable to get up for air. She felt the world going black, and she quit struggling, when finally to her relief he brought her face back up to the surface of the water. She drew in several breathes of air, taking in a few drops of water in the process as her hair dripped into her face. She pleaded but before she could even manage to fully catch her breath, he thrust her face below the water again.

Rebecca lost track of how many times she was held under the water. Each time seemed longer and blackness started to descend upon her more firmly before he finally pulled her head out of the water. She heard him demand that she tell Gill, who she knew was listening on the speakerphone, that this was his fault and that she hated him. Knowing he would already feel guilty, she refused to do so. She feared she would die at the hands of this man, and those were not the last words she wanted her brother to hear her say. Finally, with the last time she was thrust under the water, she heard him demand again that she say those words. She would also hear Gill's panicked pleading that she do so. Finally, she relented in part, needing additional coaxing for the words "I hate you". She had not uttered such words since the last childish squabble they had over the bathroom as teens. It brought her pain to do so now. She only hoped he would remember she was being forced to say what she said. Her heart sank as Samuel Goodman, picked up the phone, disconnecting, eliminating the possibility of determining if Gill had caught the clue she had left him or not.

The pulled her up to her feet, still weak from lack of oxygen. After glancing outside to pool, making certain no one else was around he roughly lead her back to the car. They drove in silence a few more minutes. Finally, he pulled up in front of a building. "Home sweet home", he said. You see, I was a pharmaceutical representative. Funny, how no one wants to purchase drugs from someone who is disfigured like this. So I had to give up my job, I could not make the commissions. Then I lost my insurance coverage, so you see I could not afford all the cosmetic surgery you referred to. You see the reconstructive surgeries would have taken years. Therefore, I now operate my own cleaning service. I make enough money to make ends meet. I work the buildings after hours, so no one has to see me. I live right here in the building. The business area is on the main level. I live in the upper level. You will be in the basement. I spent a long time sound proofing the basement you see. I could not have the receptionist hearing their screams after all", he said laughing, touching Rebecca's face. "And you are next", he said.

He led her down into the building, holding the gun on her as he reached down and pushed on a spot on the wooden floor. A wooden covered metal handle popped up. He pulled up on the handle, reveling a door in the floor, which he opened, still holding the gun on Rebecca. "Ladies, or should I say doctors first", he sneered. Rebecca submitted starting down the stairs, her legs shaking. Suddenly the world went dark as she felt a sharp pain radiate through her head.

Consciousness was slow coming to Rebecca. As it did, her first sensation was sharp pain in both hands and feet. Her captor watched her as she moaned. Samuel Goodman watched, relieved she had finally started coming too. He had been afraid he had struck her head with the gun too sharply and that the injuries to her head too severe. He had only intended to knock her out, to enable him to devise her torture without fighting her. He smiled as he realized all his worrying was for nothing. Rebecca's eyes fluttered, her vision slowly coming into focus. The pain in her hands and feet was even more severe as she became more alert. She started to move her right hand to see what could possibly be causing her so much pain, but stopped with a gasp when the pain intensified. Her vision focused finally. She made eye contact with her captor. She moved her head to the side to look at her hand, the room spinning as a result to the blow to her head. Instinctively she tried to reach with her left hand to touch the back of her head. Instead, as with the right, the pain intensified and she abruptly stopped moving. It was only then that she was alert enough to move her head to the side to look at her hands. Her left arm was stretched out on a board, a large nail driven through the palm of her hand. She quickly turned to the right, finding the right hand restrained in the same manner. Looking down toward her feet, she realized that both feet were stretched out on a board beneath her, similar nails driven through the ankles. She suddenly realized she was nailed to a wooden cross. Panic ensured and she tried to move. However, the pain in her hands and feet became so severe with the movement that she again abruptly stopped. The crossed pieces of wood she was essentially nailed to was not hoisted totally upright, but was slanting somewhat upward. Her captor laughed.

"As physicians you all try to play God. So what torture is more fitting than being crucified", he said laughing. "Of course, they say that human hands and feet thus bound will not sustain the human body totally, so of course I had to improvise. You are held somewhat by a rope here and there, but you see I can move them occasionally, which I hate to say will cause you some significant discomfort. It will also render your hands pretty useless as well, not that you have any future in which to use them anyway", he laughed again.

He smiled. Now for a few photos. I will probably have to tie you a little more securely to be able to go drop them somewhere for your brother. On the other hand, perhaps a short phone call. Let me see. A call might do. I know they need a longer time from to trace a call so that would probably work. He picked up the phone thinking a moment.

As he paused to think however, he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He had been caution in planning his revenge. Sound proofing the basement was just one measure he had taken. He had also set up security cameras. The outer perimeter of the business was protected by several video cameras, which fed not only to the office, but upstairs to his living quarters as well as here to the basement. If someone was on to him, he had wanted warning. What he saw was alarming to him. Two LVPD police cars had pulled up, followed by what appeared to be the swat team. "Damn", he said slamming his fist onto the table beside him. Rebecca jumped, again causing pain to radiate down both arms and legs. "That Nanny of yours, she must not have been dead. She turned them on to me. However, she had to be dead. Her brains were splattered all over. Her face was pulverized worse than mine", he said spitting as he talked. "Maggie", was all Rebecca had said. She had yet put together how the man had gotten into her house. Now she knew. "Yea, relax, before you feel too bad. She did not suffer nearly as much as you are going to", he said.

Rebecca could see the camera too. Gill, she thought. He must have seen the note on the corkboard. "They are on to you", she said. "Its over. You do not want to die. That is what will happen if you fight", she pleaded. Her captor laughed. "Oh it is far from over", he taunted. "You see, you can yell all you want. I installed sound proofing the floor above us. No one can hear you. You saw how well hidden the door the basement was. I bricked over the main door so well, dry walled over it. So you see it is not over yet", he taunted. A sudden calm overcame her abductor. He said quietly at the table watching the camera.

Rebecca watched the cameras as the squad cars and the swat team assembled. She saw her brother's SUV pull up soon after. "You see", he abductor said quietly. "You are gong to die one way or another. I will see them coming. I may loose out on getting the cause you more pain, but you will not live my dear doctor. And your brother will watch you die", he said. "Either way you both will pay", he taunted,

"It looks like a business", Brass commented. "We accessed building records. It appears the business is a cleaning business operated by the suspect. We sent a uniformed officer to talk with his only employee. She says he lives upstairs, they run the business downstairs", he said. "No basement", Grissim asked. The photos had been taken in a basement. "None that we could see. The building records show that there was a basement at one time, but it appears per a building permit the suspect filed, the basement was sealed off", the swat commander said. "Why", Grissim asked. "Why seal off the basement", he asked. "The permit reads that the basement was too old, and having too many water issues", the swat commander replied. "Sounds fishy to me", Brass commented. "Yea me to", Grissim said. "Lets get moving", he said impatiently. The swat commander gave Brass and Grissim an odd look. "Give us a minute", Brass said pulling Grissim aside. "Ok, Gill. I am pulling rank here. You have lost all objectivity. I am not allowing you to put yourself at risk here", he said. Grissim glared. "You know it is true. We follow protocol here. We do this right. There are reasons for that and you know it. You are talking about going in there unprepared and that ends up in dead cops and probably a dead victim. We have to play this right. Your sister is at more risk if we do this wrong than if we do it right", he said. "He is right", Grissim head a familiar throaty voice behind him. "Sara, I told you to say behind", Grissim replied. Sara was silent. "I do not want you at risk here. I already have one person I care about in there", he shouted. Sara remained silent. "You need to go back to the lab. I might need you there", he said more softly. "I think, from the look of things, you need me here", she argued. Grissim sighed, knowing how stubborn she could be.

"OK, we have reviewed the lay out of the building. It is time to move", the Swat commander said. He motioned everyone behind their vehicles. Grissim remained standing, briefly until Sara tugged at his sleeve. "Gill, you wont do her any good if you are injured", she said softly. Grissim sighed impatiently, allowing the experienced swat team to do their work. He watched the commander pick up a mega phone. "Samuel Goodman. Come out with your hand up", he directed. He waited a short while. His team had positioned themselves in the front, sides and back of the building. Armed men at the side windows stole glances inside the building. "We see no one on the main level", the whispered into their radios. They gave the suspect a few moments to respond. Then the swat commander nodded, whispering into his mike, on three, one, two, three. Grissim watched as the swat men at the front of the building kicked the front door in, knowing that those in the rear were doing the same. Rebecca's fate lay in their hands.

He stood impatiently, waiting for them to make any sign, or given any indication that they had the suspect in custody. It took several minutes for the team to clear the top floor. He heard one of the men state into his mike "Main floor clear, clearing upper level now". Grissim frowned. Something was not right. Was Rebecca not being held here? The place fit. It was an old building, but previously the victims had been held in a basement. This place, according to the building permit and records, had no basement. It had been sealed off years ago. Grissim ran his hand over his face impatiently. He felt Sara's hand slip inside his. He gave it a squeeze. He had been initially angry for her for coming, but understood. He would have done the same.

To his surprise, he heard the swat commander's radio squawk, "All clear upper level." Brass frowned. "Ask the men if there is any sign of a basement", he suggested. The swat commander did as requested, shaking his head. "They say no", he replied. "We are going in then", Grissim responded. Hopefully there was some clue here that would lead to where Rebecca was being held.

Goodman laughed at the teams search of his business space and then of his private living quarters above. "They have not clue", he laughed. "Oh, sorry, you had probably hoped for rescue", he laughed gleefully. He stood; taking a knife that was hanging from the wall and made his way to Rebecca. He slowly took the blade and sliced slowly and superficially down the length of her arm. Rebecca winced at the burning pain, but managed to refrain from jerking. She felt the slow steady trickle of blood from the wound. She let out a small scream. "You see, I could torture you right here, with them standing right above you and they will never hear. I did such a good job hiding this place", he laughed. He grabbed a rope behind the wooden cross-shaped device Rebecca was bound and nailed to. He slowly increased the incline. Rebecca screamed again as the pressure on the nails holding her hands and ankles increased. She felt the tissue tear slightly, then hold steady once again. If felt however, as if at any moment her hands and legs would rip apart, the nail tearing through the flesh. She found herself praying it would do so. At least it would not be the constant increasing burning pain she was presently feeling. The pain was causing her to break out in a heavy sweat and a trickle of perspiration ran down her face. He laughed again, watching as the men continued to search the inside of the building, finding absolutely nothing.

Grissim, Nick, Katherine, and Sara entered the building behind Brass. The yshone their flashlights around the inside of the building. The swat team had stepped back outside. The commander entered the room. "Sorry Detective. We had hoped she was in here too", he said. Brass only nodded. Grissim was intent on checking out the building. "Alevo cleaner", Katherine said. "I see some blood here", Nick added, kneeling to swab it. He opened his kit, "human", he said quietly. "He had the others here", Grissim said. "Why would he take her somewhere else", he asked. The team was silent. No one knew the answer.

"Maybe he realized we might be on to him", Sara said. "I don't think so", Grissim replied. "He is too arrogant. He does not think we can find him. He thinks he is safe", he said softly. Suddenly a glint of metal caught his eye. He leaned down, his heart thumping. "He had her here", he said excitedly, showing the team a heart shaped pendent. He opened it. It contained a tiny picture of Danny and Katrina. "OK, so we find out where he took her", Katherine said.

Samuel Goodman stopped his torture momentarily as he saw Grissim kneel close to the where the secret door to the basement was. He could not see the door, he thought to himself. It was made to blend into the wooden planks of the floor. It was virtually undetectable. Then he saw that Grissim held something in his hand. He jumped up, moving over to a control panel by the monitor. He pushed several buttons causing the camera in the main floor business to move in on what Grissim held in his hand. He saw the pendent. He watched Grissim open it. It was obviously something he recognized. Rebecca looked to her neck; suddenly realizing the necklace that Gill had given her for her birthday had been pulled off her neck. It must have caught on something and pulled off. Her heart pounded. He would as least know she was here. "God, be safe Gill", she thought, fearful for his safety.

Grissim sat looking at the necklace. "She is here somewhere", he said softly. "Maybe in a building on the grounds", Nick suggested. "I didn't see any other buildings near here", Sara said. "No, but where", Katherine said. Grissim stood. "Brass, where are the building outlines the swat team had", he asked. Brass left the building, obtaining the records from the swat team. Grissim looked at the plans. "The basement door was originally here", he said, locating an area where the kitchen met the living room. It looks like the door was dry walled over. The entire team searched for an area that might not be sealed. After twenty minutes, they stopped searching. Grissim rubbed his hands over his beard again. He picked up the plans again studying them.

Goodman relaxed as the team searched the sealed off area where the original door had been. They could not find a passageway there, because there was not one. He looked up at Rebecca again. Apparently, the pain had become too intense and she had passed out. That took away all his fun. He released the rope down, taking part of the stress off her hands. He wanted to give her a chance to come around some.

After studying the building plans for what seemed like forever, Grissim stood. He laid the plans down on the table. "Look here. In the original plans, there were stairs that lead down here to the basement. If I were going to seal these doors off, but with minimal construction effort, create an alternative means to getting to the basement areas, where would I put it", he asked? Nick, Katherine, and Sara studied the plans. "Gris, I would go right here", Nick finally replied. "You could use the original stairway, if it was in good shape, and just extend the original first step." Grissim moved the wall Nick was indicating. Then he examined the other side. Nothing. He

He saw not hidden entrance in the wall, despite running his hand over the entire wall. He looked at the wall carefully, thinking. It would be too easy to tell if there was an entrance hidden in a wall like this. Dry wall would show a faint crack at the least. Then he looked down to the floor. Wide wooden planks made up the door. The seams in the floor could be hiding a door that was constructed as a means to get into the basement area. The thought occurred to the rest of the team as well. All three got to their knees looking closely at the floor. Grissim ran his hands over the floor trying to feel any ridges or uneven areas. Suddenly his hand hit an area that gave slightly to his touch. Pushing harder of the area, a handle popped out, reveling the means by which to open the door. "Gill I had better get swat back in here', Brass warned. Grissim paused. He knew the swat team was Rebecca's best chance. They could hit quickly, in force, hopefully before the perp even knew they were there. He only hoped Rebecca was still there. "I'm staying in the building", he said. Knowing it was useless to argue, Brass only nodded, going out quickly to get the swat team.

Nick, Katherine, and Greg all exited the building at Brass's insistence. Sara remained behind with Grissim. They kept to the back of the room, weapons drawn.

Goodman watched as the team entered the room. "Well I have to give your brother some credit", he said softly, almost as in defeat. Suddenly his demeanor changed. "This can still be worth the effort. He can see you die. It will not be a quick death for you, Oh no. Oh, it will not take a long time, but long enough for a few last words. Time to tell him how much you hate him for leading me to you", he laughed. "Payback will be great", he said, laughing uncontrollably.

He again grabbed the knife. I plunged it into Rebecca's abdomen, causing her to gasp in shock. She felt warm blood spread out as he pulled the knife from the wound. He plunged it again, twisting slightly, causing even more extensive internal damage. Rebecca watched as more blood spilled out. Goodman did not even hear the swat team storm downstairs. He was too intent on driving the blade into Rebecca's abdomen for a third time. "Goodman, drop the weapon", the swat team shouted. Shots rang out and he fell to the floor, his face distorted into a grimace that made his deformities even more grotesque.

"He's down. We need a medic now"; he heard the swat team cry out. He and Sara rushed down the stairs, not caring if swat was done clearing the scene or not. Brass quickly followed. Nick, Katherine, and Greg, hearing the shouts of the swat team also quickly ran inside the building and down the stairs.

Grissim spotted Rebecca almost at once. He immediately lowered the cross shaped restraint she was held on. "Oh, God. Oh God Becky", Grissim moaned, placing a hand over two of the wounds attempting to stench the flow. Sara knelt on the other side of Rebecca, applying pressure on the third wound. Blood gurgled up over her hand, running to the floor. "I'm so sorry, I tried to get to you sooner", Grissim said. "This is my fault", he gasped.

"Gilbert Grissim", Rebecca said softly, "You are not a hypocrite are you?" "But", Grissim began. "No. No guilt here. You remember when Dan died. I blamed myself and you told me it was not my fault. As I recall you said it was just his time to go. Same with this situation", she insisted shaking her head. She coughed, a trickle of blood running from her mouth. Her breathing became louder, a faint rattle beginning. "But it was because of my job he got to you", he said. Rebecca only shook her head. Talking was beginning to be difficult. Finally, she managed. "No Gill, no guilt", she said softly. "Promise me", she said. Grissim remained silent. "Gill, I have something else I want to talk to you two about, and we both know I do not have much time here. Promise me", she said. A tear ran down Grissim's check. "Gill", she said insistently. "OK, I promise", he whispered.

A series of coughs again racked Rebecca's body. Her eyes closed briefly and her breathing slowed. She made a few chocking sounds and her color began to darken. "Rebecca", Grisim cried. She shuttered slightly and coughed again, hitching several deep labored breaths again. Her color remained poor but her eyes fluttered open again. "Where is the medic", Grissim cried. "They are on the way. They got held up in traffic", Brass replied.

"Gill", Rebecca said, her voice barely a whisper. Grissim stroked her check. "You just have to hang in there a little while longer. We will get you to the hospital", he began. Rebecca shook her head slightly. "I have you in the will as first choice to take the kids. However, it is something you need to talk over with Sara first. Take them only if it is what the two of you want to do", she said looking at Sara. "You are staying right", she said, smiling despite the pain. Sara nodded. "I hadn't even told Gill yet", she said, a tear trickling down her cheek. "How did you know", she asked. "I could see it in your eyes", Rebecca said. Grissim looked at Sara, as if to ask if it were true. Sara met his gaze, then looked back to Rebecca. "I would be honored to help Gill raise the kids", she said softly. Rebecca looked at Sara gratefully. "Thank you Sara", she said, not only for that but also for making my brother so happy. He deserves it. You both do", she whispered.

The medics finally arrived. The released both of Rebecca's hands, pulling the nails out quickly. They worked from either side trying to start an intravenous line. "Got one", the medic on the right said. He hung a bag of fluids up. "We have to get her legs off that board so we can get her in the squad", the younger EMT said urgently. The two medics moved to Rebecca's feet, working on releasing them, leaving the upper part of her body with enough room for Grissim and Sara to get back beside her. Her breathing was becoming more labored, and he could hear the rattle of each breath even through the oxygen mask the medics had applied to her face. She took her free hand pushing the oxygen away and grasped Grissim's hand. "You remember when we were kids and you taught me not to be afraid of bugs", she whispered. Grissim smiled and nodded. "You said it was mind over matter, that if I realized that there was not any rational reason to be afraid then I wouldn't be afraid any more. That is why I am not afraid to die now. I realize I have nothing to fear. I know the children will be loved and cared for", Rebecca whispered, struggling to get the words out. She squeezed Grissim's hand and grabbed Sara's with the other, giving it a squeeze of thanks. Her eyes clouded over slightly, seeming to no longer be focused. "I see Dan, Gil, he is here for me", she whispered with a smile. "He is wanting me to join him now. Tell the kids I will always watch over them", she said. Her eyes focused on the wall in front of her, as if she saw something or someone there. She took one final, labored breath and released it. Grissim waited for her to take another breath, but it did not come. The medics had just managed to release Rebecca's feet. "She has respiratory arrested. Lets intubate now", they yelled. Grissim and Sara backed off while the medics worked with Rebecca, placing a tube down her throat and beginning chest compressions. Grissim watched helplessly, knowing that the medic's actions were useless. Rebecca was gone.

Gill Grissim stood in the hospital room of the man who had tortured then killed his sister. He listened as the swoosh of the ventilator helped the man breath. For the first time in his life, he understood when victim's families said that imprisonment or even the death penalty was not enough. Samuel Goodman opened his eyes. He smiled when he saw Grissim. Unable to speak because of the ventilator, he motioned toward the writing pad at his bedside. It was how he communicated his needs to the nurses. Grissim handed him the pad. "What brings you here", he wrote. Grissim shrugged, he was not even sure himself. "Curiosity', the man wrote. Then he added, "you probably wish me dead", he wrote, looking to Grissim grinning. Grissim again did not respond. "It would be easy. Just pull the ventilator off. By the time they got here, it would be too late", he scribbled. "Go ahead, Do it", Goodman wrote. Grissim shook his head. "No, there is a justice system that will decide your fate. It is not for me to decide. I would just like to know why. Why here and not me", Grissim asked softly. Goodman smiled, his eyes laughing. "Because it hurts you more taking someone you cared about. I saw the babe with you. Had I only know you had a special woman you were bedding, I would have taken her out too", he wrote. He lay the pad down fatigued. He saw anger flash across Grissim's face. With his last bit of energy, he picked the pad up, writing one last message, "Go ahead. You know you would like to." He took Grissim's hand and placed it on the ventilator tubing, his eyes challenging Grissim. Grissim stood breathing heavily, Rebecca's last moments flashing before his eyes. "Grissim", he heard the familiar voice of Jim Brass. Grissim turned, taking his hand back off the ventilator tubing. "I have some facts you probably would like to know. Lets step out a minute", he said looking toward the man in the hospital bed. He had not missed the fact Grissim's hand had been on the ventilator tubing.

The two stepped out in the hallway, walking to a quiet waiting area. Brass motioned for Grissim to sit. "What are you doing here", he asked concerned. Grissim paused. "I guess looking for answers", he replied. "Well I have a few for you. Probably more than you will get out of that slim ball in there", he said. "We have been interviewing Samuel Goodman's family. Apparently, his stepfather physically abused him. He was also emotionally abused. The old man was constantly telling him he was ugly, worthless, and stupid. The worst thing was that the kid was actually smart and grew up to be attractive. Actually, before the surgery that disfigured his face so, he was quite the ladies man. Apparently, he really went off the deep end when he had this surgery. The family says the physician's assistant explained that he would have quite a bit of disfigurement, but that it would be corrected in stages after the surgery. He accepted that at first, then when he lost his job and had to wait to go on public assistance for his medical bills he really lost it. The family says that they tried to offer him help, but he just lost it. Apparently he had never been mentally right after what he went through as a child", Brass explained. "So he will probably plead insanity", Grissim said softly. "He might just be insane Gill, but that is for a jury to decide. I do not know how many times I have heard you say just that. Now you need to take that advice yourself", Brass warned. "For the first time in my life Jim, I understand why families say that just isn't enough", Grissim replied. "Yea, maybe not, but you are not kind to take things in your own hands Gill. That is not the Gill Grissim I know. It is not the Gill Grissim Sara knows either. And it certainly is not the Gill Grissim that those two little kids need right now", Brass cautioned. Grissim lowered his head. Brass was right. Although momentarily he had felt such hatred for Samuel Goodman, he wished him dead, he also knew that he himself could not ever be the one who made the decision to take his life. That would have to be up to the courts. He would just have to do whatever was necessary to make sure the evidence spoke for the victims. This time it was just more personal.

Later that evening Grissim and Sara sat curled on the couch watching Danny and Katrina play. For now at least, feeling the children needed the familiarity of their home, they were living at Rebecca's house. The place was full of memories, and Sara could see that it caused him significant emotional pain. The memorial service had been earlier that day. Both of them were emotionally exhausted and knew the kids were too. The kids had been quiet however, and they both suspected that they needed some time before bed to express their feelings. Therefore, they waited patiently for the kids to speak out. Katrina was the first to do so. She put away her playthings without being asked, scrambled under the coffee table and grabbed a photo album and quietly slipped into Sara's lap. She laid her head against Sara's chest and opened the album. Sara watched as the child looked at family pictures, lingering over those of her mother. Katrina's tiny finger traced the outline of one of the pictures of her mother. Sara felt a tear trickle down the child cheek. Gill had explained to the kids that the man who had taken their mother, had taken her life, and that she would not be back. It had been the hardest thing he had ever had to do. Sara had been at his side as he did so. "I miss Mommy Aunt Sara", she said sniffling. "I know you do honey", Sara said. Danny, observing his sister crying, got up and climbed into Gill's lap. He tried to look over at the album too, but was too far away. Grissim moved over a little closer, so all four of them could look" I miss her too", he said. "I know. So do we. And together we will not ever forget her. However, we are going to take care of the two of you. We will be fine. We will get through this", Grissim said quietly. Both kids snuggled in, Danny popping his thumb in his mouth. Katrina played with her hair. They each took turns remembering special occasions. Gradually the kids grew drowsy. Within a few minutes, they both fell asleep. "Brass told me what happened at the hospital", Sara said softly. Grissim nodded. "I am proud you are the man you are Gill", she said. "You know you can not take things in your own hands. Let the justice system do its job. You do not have it in your heart to hate", she said. Grissim nodded. He did not hate, but it was very hard to forgive.

"I accepted a position today at LVU", she said smiling. "Good. When do you start?", Grissim asked, shifting Danny slightly. "I told them I needed a month. I think these two need one of us around full time right now. Even if you took time off too, we could use the time together", she replied. Grissim nodded in agreement. "I am planning on a couple of weeks at least. I can not touch any of the evidence in this case from here on out. I figure I can use the time", he admitted. "We can settle in as a family", Sara said. "Yea", he replied, gazing at the woman who held his heart. "Hey, want to put these two to bed and head up ourselves", she asked. "Yea, but honestly it might take me awhile to relax. It has been a stressful, emotional day", he admitted. Standing, shifting Katrina in her arms, Sara smiled. "I think I can think of a perfect way to relax you and take your mind off of things", she offered. "I will never pass up an offer like that", he replied, standing with Danny in his arms.

Several weeks later Grissim sat at his desk, looking over staff reports. Grissim had just returned to work a few days before. The kids had settled into a routine with their Aunt to be and their Uncle Gill. They had set a wedding date two weeks from now. It was to be a simple ceremony with a few family and their friends. Eckley had reluctantly reworked the scheduled so the entire team could attend.

He and Brass had just finished interrogating a suspect. The team was processing the remaining evidence in the case. It appeared they had all the evidence they needed for a conviction. The victim had been shot in the back of the head, mafia style. They were still searching for a motive, which always was a concern for Grissim, but in essence, the case was the same as a done deal. The suspect had lawyered-up when presented with the evidence, but as Grissim looked over the evidence he doubted they would need a confession to obtain a conviction. His phone rang; he glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Sara. He smiled. She had spent the day finalizing wedding plans, and then had planned a trip to the park with the kids. He could hear their excited chatter as they played. "Hey its me", she said. I dropped by and paid off the wedding chapel and the florist. I cannot believe I am making such a big deal of this wedding. I used to be so anti-wedding", she laughed. "You were never the bride", he replied. He had been as excited about making the simple plans with her as she had been. It was a bit of brightness in all their lives. In fact, the kids had even gotten involved, excited at the prospect of serving as ring bearer and flower girl. "Yea, whatever. I feel like a hypocrite", she admitted. Grissim smiled. "Are you going to be home on time? I hope so because the kids are really hoping to go for pizza with Uncle Gill", she added. He glanced at his watch. The reports were all perfect, so he expected to be wrapping up and leaving on time. He had the following shift off, so he planned on a few hours sleep, then family time. It was something he found himself getting very used to. "Yea, I think so. See you soon", he replied. "OK. Look I had better go. Katrina just fell off the swing", she said ending the call. Grissim smiled. Katrina was probably fine, but Sara was very protective. He had never seen the maternal side of her before, but it was evident now with the two kids. He chewed his glasses pondering if he was too old for the two of them to have a child of their own. They had never really talked about it. Grissim returned to his files, wanting nothing more than to wade through this paperwork, then go home. His phone rang again.

"Grissim", he said with a sigh. "Gill. We just received a threat from someone claiming to be a friend of our suspect. They are threatening those of us who were a part of this case, which means you, Katherine, Nick, and me. Until we check this out the department is offering protection. When you are ready to leave for the day, there is to be an office accompanying you home", he said. "What about our families", Grissim asked, concerned about Sara and the kids.

The threat just included those involved in the investigation, but we are putting a unit at everyone's homes for now", Brass replied. "There is a squad car on the way to your house right now", he said. "Sara isn't home. She is at the park with the kids. If she shows up at the house and there is a squad car there I am not sure how she will react Jim. I better give her a call", Grissim frowned hanging up the phone. He paused a minutes, looking at the photographs of the kids, of Sara and lastly of his sister on his desk. He took off his glasses chewing a minute. He knew what it was that felt different about the job. He was scared. He feared the danger it put he and his family in. He had always felt the need to speak for the dead. In fact, once when a student asked him why he did the job he had said, "because the dead can not speak for themselves, someone has to speak for them." While he still believed that, he questioned if he wanted to be that person any longer. He questioned if being able to speak for the dead was worth the risk to Sara or the kids. Sara had been minutes from death when he had found after the miniature killer had abducted her and left her for dead trapped under a wrecked car. He had lost his sister because of his work. Now this. He swallowed. Maybe this was not the life for him anymore. He picked up the phone. He had better call Sara, although he dreaded doing so.

"Hey", she answered laughing, having recognized the caller on caller ID. "If you are calling about Katrina she is good as new. She is a tough little thing", she said. "Good, but that is not the reason I called", he began. He finished telling her about their current arrest and the threats being made to those involved. He watched the TV in the break room, showing him on television earlier in the day, leaving the crime scene with the incriminating evidence bagged. Sara took the news calmly, her years of experience in the crime lab preparing her for such problems. "OK Gill. Do not worry. We will head home now. The kids are getting tired anyway", she said. He could not help but hear the edge to her voice. It was not her own welfare she was concerned about, but rather that of the children.

Grissim hung up the phone quickly finishing up the last report. Everything appeared in order for presentation in court. Satisfied he closed the file. Thinking for a moment again, he flipped through his Rolodex. Finding the number, he wanted he dialed.

"University of Las Vegas. Criminilistics department", the receptionist answered. "Mark Connley please", Grissim replied toying with his glasses as he waited. "Mark Connley. How can I help you", the voice answered. "Mr. Connley, Gill Grissim", Grissim began. Connley interrupted him. "Doctor Grissim. How nice to hear from you. I just hired someone who listed you as a reference. A Sara Sidle. Said she worked for you for eight years. I figured with experience like that who could go wrong. I just hope we keep her challenged enough here in the academic world. I hope that is not what you are calling about", he asked. "Well no. Actually it is not", Grissim responded. "Then how can I help you", Connley asked. "You said at one time that anytime I was tired of working in the crime lab, that you would have a teaching position open for me", Grissim replied. "Does that offer still hold", he asked. "Uh, you have got to be kidding. Or do you mean like part time or what. I mean, you are not really thinking about giving up a supervisory position in the crime lab to teach. I could not even come close to meeting your present salary", Connley stuttered. "I mean full time", Grissim replied seriously. "You mean it. What about the wages? I can not possible meet the wages you make there", he admitted. "How much could you offer", Grissim asked cutting to the chase. Five minutes later, a salary Grissim could live with was negotiated. "One more issue", Grissim, said wanting everything out in the open this time, "the woman you just hired, she is going to be my wife in a couple weeks. Is that a problem?" Connley laughed. "No, we have no policy against that. We might ask Ms. Sidle to keep her maiden name or to hyphenate it so the students do not get confused, but other than that no. It is not a problem. When can you start", Connley said excited to have snagged such a prominent experienced person for the university. Within a few minutes, they had arranged for Grissim to start in two weeks. It was the amount that was required by the lab and would give Grissim time to orient whoever was selected to take his place. He called Eckley's office, hoping to catch him. As usual, Eckley was behind his desk.

"Gill", he said in his usual political tone. It was that tone and mannerism that led to his getting the promotion to head the lab rather than Grissim. "Have a seat. What can I do for you? Big day coming up next week", he smiled his false smile. "I am giving my notice", Grissim said sitting down as he was directed to. "What", Eckley stood up in disbelief. "Your notice. Gill you have to be kidding. Sara just got her job. It cannot be good for the kids to move from Vegas right now. Why would you transfer? I mean I know things have been rough here. If you need more time off you can have it. You certainly have plenty of vacation time on the books. See how you feel after you and Sara take off the week after the wedding. I still think you two should go someplace just the two of you" he rambled. "We didn't think it would be good for the kids to have us gone this soon. We figured we would plan something in a few months. Katherine offered to keep the kids then", Grissim replied. "OK, well give a transfer some thought until then", Eckley smiled sitting down again. "I am not taking a transfer", Grissim replied taking off his glasses, meeting Eckley's stare of disbelief. "What are you planning then Gill? I mean this is ridiculous. You have two kids to take care of now, and Sara will not be making much teaching. Academic pay is horrible! What are you planning", he asked. He could see in Grissim's face this was not a bluff. He could not believe he was loosing his best supervisor. "This job just is not worth the risk anymore. I am not willing to put my family at risk anymore", Grissim replied. "My last day will be in two weeks", he said beginning to stand. "Gill, they can not be coming close to your salary here. Besides, this little mess will be cleared up soon. They just called and said they determined the source. It was the suspect's brother. He is just a punk kid with good computer skills. He searched article on the Internet until he was able to determine the names of the staff. Anyway, it is pretty much over. He is not threat", Eckley smiled. Grissim nodded. "Good. However, you know, there will be other times. In the last year, I almost lost Sara. I did lose my sister. I have not felt right since I came back. Today, when Brass called to inform me of the threat I realized why. I was worried about Sara and the kids. I love what I do here. But I think at least for now I need a change", Grissim replied. "You know you make a knee jerk reaction like this Gill and if you come back you start at the bottom. You will not have your supervisory position back. Think about this please", Eckley pleaded.

"Gill, consider their safety. The department pulls out all the stops for its own. We had squad cars at all the residences of our staff when the threat occurred. We were providing police escort for all of you. Do you think that would happen for a civilian", he added. "I would hope the city of Las Vegas would provide protection to any citizen who had a real threat", Grissim replied. "I hope that was not a threat Eckley. Just in case I will be sure to mention that as a concern in my exit interview", he added, standing and walking out the door. He had laid the typed letter of resignation on Eckley's desk. "At least you gave me written notice. That is more than Sara did", Eckley shouted as he left.

Grissim wanted his team to hear the news from himself directly, not from Eckley so he proceeded into the lab, where he knew they were all busy processing the evidence. Initially they did not even hear him enter. He cleared his throat. Everyone looked up. Grissim had not been himself since he had returned. They assumed it was still because of his sister's death. "I want to let you all know first hand that I just gave my resignation to Eckley", he began. He waited for the words to sink in, knowing it would be a surprise to the lab. "Why", Greg asked, the first to get over the shock and speak. "I know some of you make look at me as a coward but frankly I just feel I have given all I can give here. I have lost my sister and almost lost Sara because of this job. It is not an easy decision. I have never worked with a more dedicated group of individuals. I am planning to support the profession by teaching at ULV", he finished. "Once Eckley gets over the shock, I will let him know that I would be available for consultation if you ever felt you could use it, but I just can not do this anymore. I have too much at risk to be in the public eye this way. Sara could take care of herself, but the kids", Grissim added. Nick interrupted, "Grissim, I think we understand if you need a change. You do not need to explain. This has been one tough year man", Grissim nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes it has", Grissim admitted. "You are like family to Sara and I and that will be the hardest part", he added. "Grissim, you know you will always be a part of this family. And you are anything but a coward", Katherine replied moving over and hugging her boss. The gang was quiet; each quietly letting the fact Grissim would not longer be there to lead them. "If you ever decide you need to leave teaching and want to come back, you know we would welcome you with open arms", Katherine said. Grissim nodded. "So what does Sara think", Greg asked. "Sara does not know yet, so if she calls, please do not say anything", Grissim responded. "I will see you all tomorrow. I imagine Eckley will announce who will be taking my place. I will need to orient whoever is taking over", Grissim said. As he left he received hugs from each of his staff. Once he was out of earshot, Nick said, "Grissim just needs some time. He will be back." "But Eckley will never put him back in the supervisors role", Katherine said sadly. "It won't matter. If Grissim is on a team, he will always be the leader, official or unofficial", Greg said. "You got that buddy", Nick replied. Misty was just quiet, saddened she was loosing her opportunity to get Grissim to notice her intentions. She had still hung onto hope the wedding would get cancelled.

Pulling in the drive, he saw the squad car was already gone. He could hear Sara out back with the kids. He walked in the kitchen, making his way to the deck. Sara sat sipping a beer. He raised his eyebrows. She reached in a cooler and grabbed him one too. "oI

I decided I needed a drink. That was a little unnerving today", she admitted. "Want one", she asked reaching in a cooler. Grissim grinned taking the beer. "Yea I know what you mean", he said quietly. He sighed, deciding to make a go for it. He did not know how Sara would feel about his job change and probably should have discussed it with her. "I made a decision today dear", he said taking a sip of beer. "What decision was that", she asked. "I decided to quit my job and take a job teaching at ULV", he said. Sara sat her beer down. "Gill, you love what you do. Why. Because of today", she asked. "In part, it was like I finally realized what was wrong. It just did not feel right being there at the lab. Everything was different. Today when Brass called I realized what it was. I was afraid something would happen again at work, something that would put you or the kids at risk. I just could not go there again. Call me a coward Sara, but I am not willing to risk that. In less than a year, I almost lost the love of my life and I did loose my sister, all because of a job. I guess I got to feeling I did my part for the dead. It was time to do something for the living. You know when you left, I missed you, but in a way, I was relieved. After almost loosing you, I kept thinking that at least you were safe if you were not working. I was so relieved that you didn't want to go back to the lab", he said looking into her eyes. "All I want is for you to be happy. If you can be happy teaching I am all for that", she admitted. Grissim laughed. "What is so funny", Sara laughed. "When you left everyone wanted me to go running after you. I knew that was not what you wanted. When I told them that, they asked what I wanted. I told them I just wanted you to be happy. Are you happy Sara", he asked tenderly. "I have never been happier", she said leaning in and kissing him. "By the way, the bad new is you have to hyphenate your name so we do not confuse the students", he teased. "I suppose I can live with that", Sara smiled. "Lets go eat, supper is ready", she said standing and calling the kids into the house. The kids followed as Grissim and Sara entered the house hand in hand.


End file.
